The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-23
CENTRAL FALLS
CL|MGS To OLD
FASHIONED WAYS


IL must be evident TO every one who at
tends meeting OF the city council oil
Central Falls that the people have not yet
realized that when they adopted a city
charter some IL years ago they did away
with the old town meeting system. 1t is
rather amusing 10 see the proceedings at
the meetings OF this supposed-to-be repre-
sentative body broken In upon by anyone
who mas grievance TO air
Men In the spectators chairs apparently
think IL is up TO them TO exploit their
views and to instruct the councilmen as
| 10 their duty, just as was the habit In
past years at meetings OF the town coun-
ell Probably there is not another city
I'm the country IN which anything OF the
kind Is permitted But IL must be ad-
mitted that while IL Is entirely without
precedent there is just little excuse,
because. SO far as a visitor can see, there
| Ii scarcely man In the council who has
any opinions OF his own 10 express.
One evening the past week the matter
OF granting franchise 70 the Pawtucket
Gas company came up for consideration
In the common council. The proposed
| agreement had been read this being the
| third time this long document has been
gone over. and then the president waited
| for some one 10 offer remark, even IL II
| was no more important than motion 10
| cdJourn. But no one seemed TO think
there was anything further 10 be done.
| Possibly all thought that as the fran
chise had now been read three times that
was all was necessary and il was up 10
the clerk TO continue 10 read II over and
over again. IL may be they liked the
| sound OF the words, but whether or not
they had any opinions as 10 its value 10
the city they carefully refrained from ex-
But such was not the case with the
| Newell family. Oscar Newell who was
once among the most partisan followers
| OF the Republican machine. and who was
| chosen
| where he occasionally was allowed TO
| move 10 adjourn after all other business
had been disposed OF. was there, and so
too was his brother. Fred +. Newell. an
! other member OF the machine, who a year
ago had to wait till after the returning
board counted the ballots before he cele-
Both Of these gentlemen were deter
mined that the franchise for Is years 70
the Pawtucket Gas company should not
be granted. OF course they are not mem
bers of the common council. and OF course
also they had no real right TO raise their
voices at the meeting since II was not a
public hearing, but a little thing like that
did not interfere. The former representa-
two had his say. In which he pictured the
evils which would befall the city II II
should ever grant such franchise The
| strain and after that the president hoped
some OF the members OF the council would
say something, but evidently they con
cluded their speeches had all been deliv-
cred and that all there was TO do was 70
pass resolution providing for the ap-
pointment OF a committee 10 confer with
But after this had been done there was
another block for the resolution was a
joint one and when IL went 10 the board
of aldermen no one could find more thar
two of the Ave members. Just why there
was this disposition TO dodge action Is no
yet apparent. The time is coming wher
the board OF aldermen has got 10 face th'
issue and 10 put IL off does no good. II
the franchise In n bad thing for the city
II ought TO be voted down and II II is Q
good thing IL should be granted at once.
ALDERMANIC MEETING.
A special meeting of the board OF alder
men has been called for Tuesday evening
The call states that the business to bs
considered is that OF granting milk H.
the milk inspector. When the subject OF
milk inspector Is suggested 10 the board
OF aldermen the members shy pretty bad
~. because thus far that august board
has failed to agree 10 elect n successor tc
the man who was chosen year ago. and
thus according TO the law the old officia
is holdover until his successor is chosen
Just how many ballots have been taker
to reach decision is one OF the things
onlcy the city clerk could tell and h,
would have TO do some tall figuring (
give the correct answer. At any rate, Il
is something less than a thousand, anC
not much less either.
The probabilities are that the man whC
holds the title just now wishes he hat
never heard OF the job. because since tn,
passage OF the new milk law he has beer
obliged to do something TO earn his sal
ary; even II y is net big one. and II HI.
he is making UP for lost time now. Per
haps IL is only a matter OF justice tha
he should be called upon to make goot
this year. Just how many licenses will bt
turned in for approval Is not known, bu
there are quite bunch OF them.
After this matter has been disposed OF
perhaps the aldermen will take a little
recreation by means OF few ballots fol
another inspector and after that there Il
the resolution to choose a committee Il
confer with the Pawtucket Gas company
AN IMPORTANT COMMITTEE.
One of the things which the common
council did the other night was to pass
resolution TO appoint committee th'
duty Of which will be TO arrange for tn,
| celebration OF the nations birthday in thi.
city, Just whether the member who in
troduced this resolution did so as a jok,
or not no one has thus far stated but 4
went through IN the most sober manner
the committee will be appointed. II Is al
important duty that will face the mem
bers OF this committee and the resolution
should have provided that the member,
give bonds for the faithful discharge o.
this duty.
Some time ago the question OF providin.
money with which TO celebrate came III
at one OF the meetings and II was thei
and there. agreed that no matter wha
other needs there were for the money II
the first call. To be sure, II was not
very loud call. but IL was n call Just tn,
same. and II finally resolved itself into
resolution providing for an appropriation
OF the entire sum OF S96 TO be expended
for a proper celebration OF the Glorioui
Fourth. Just why the amount was 50
Ia one OF the things that is puzzling IN,
people. II might have been a dollar les,
or IL might have been four dollars more
Somehow II would have looked a littl,
better in print. But sSs is a rather ode
sum 20 provide for such n purpose May
be that was just what was the after
Perhaps there was just that amount lyinl
tucked away In some corner OF City
Treasurer Reynolds safe. but II he could
only have looked little closer perhaps NJ