Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-20
BUSINESS MEN NOT THERE.
Attorney Lynch Asked Necessities for
 -Workingmen. Not Luxurics.

AAuSA cAAdllOI Iudu u WOulu nave been had the weather been favorable. The committee representing the Business Mems association was not oh hand to talk of the approach. In the absence of Chairman Pill ing, Vice-President Buck presided. Brooklyn and Town Plot folks, heed less Of the storm, appeared, and Hill street had delegation present, too. The petition being circulated by the Waterbury Business Mems asso- citation, asking that conditions for the extension of the trolley to Quassapaug by way of Robbins street, was not present, but the Brooklyn Improve ment society, Town Plot, Simonsville and Hill Street associations were heard from through Attorney James M. Lynch, who spoke for about half an hour, in the course of which he reviewed in detail the purpose of the petitions and concluded with an earn est plea on behalf of the signers not to make the mistake of expending public money for luxuries while so many are in, need of actual necessi- ties. When MT Lynch stepped for ward he held the bulky petitions in his hands and now and then during his speech he would hold the biggest one of the lot up to the gaze of those about him and remark that every one of the. 803 names on it was written by the man who bears the name and that 1t was his own free will and act. MT Lynch said he didn't want to be understood as appearing in opposition to the Robbins street project. What he and those whom he represented wanted was trolley service and some other improvements in Brooklyn and Town Plot. They had no objection to the Robbins street matter, that Is provided public funds are not ex- pended on it.which were appropriated to work streets where public necessi- ty and convenience demand the out lay for the accommodation of the whole people of this town. The Rob- bins street matter, he said, it admitted to be nothing more than a scheme to furnish people an opportunity to have outings on Sunday and to bring trade to the business men, laudable things in their way, but by no means as i'm portant as meeting the depands of the working people of Waterbury few of whom have time or money to spend on outings, and those who have can have all the outings from Wa terbury they desire at the present time. But objection is made to out ings by the working people. When these were going on to some extent some of the business men protested because they didn't want them to spend their money that way; they preferred to have them remain at home and spend their money with them. He thought if there was any desire on the part of the business men to consider the welfare of the working people of Waterbury they could find something to do in that direction at home. There is the ex- tension of Liberty street." he con- tinued, something which the work ing people of Waterbury have been clamoring for for the past twenty years. and so far as I can recollect but one business man ever raised his voice in favor of it. How about the need of trolley service in other parts of Waterbury as we'll as Town Plot? Take the northeastern section, begin ming at East Main street and taking in that vast territory clear out to North Main street, all thickly settled with working people, and yet many of them have to walk almost a mile to reach the trolley and then pay 5 cents to ride to where they are em- ployed. If the needs of those people and of those whom l represent here tonight are of no moment to the business men, Mir Chairman, they should be to you, who have been chosen to look after their interests for the next two years? It is for you to see that the peoples interests are protected. The trolley company has no need of employing counsel in Wa terbury so long as its affairs are being so ably safeguarded by the business men. We want the money appropriated for public uses expend- ed where 1t will do the most good for the greatest number ofReople. We want it spent where itRwill benefit the people whos own the streets. the people who paid for paving them and who contributed their mites to keep them clean, not for the special bene- fit of the trolley company or our neighbors in nearby towns. We want the necessities first and after we have got them then we shall be pleased to receive all the luxuries the business men can bestow upon us. The people of Waterbury want trolley service during the six work ing days in each week to help them get to and from their places of em- ployment and these petitions which am now about to present to you are an emphatic protest against the spending of money for luxuries while the people have so many pressing necessities"
 Mir Lynch also talked of the atti- tude of the trolley with reference to sprinkling the streets and other things. and said that it was not will ing to live up to contracts with the city even in cases where the hand writing of its agents show 1t had agreed to do certain. things. Mir Lynch then piled up the petitions on the desk of the chairman and took seat amid great applause.
 T. J. Coyle, representing the Hill Street Improvement club. was the next speaker. He said he desired to second what Mir Lynch had said and by stating that he was present to emphasize the fact that the people In his part of the town feel that the needs of the working people of Waterbury should be con sidered paramount to those of other places and that he hoped the board of aldermen would legislate for all instead of for a few.