Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-12-03
MIR CAIRNS'S SALARY
Democrats Story Not False ss
 Facis Go ie Prove.

The article in the Democrat yester- day regarding the blunder made by the board of public works in approv- ing about $500 for MT Cairns in ex- cess of what was legally due him, created some talk, but nobody looked upon 1t as anything very serious, 'aii so far as can pc learned who ex- pressed an opinion upon It stating that 1t was simply an oversight an, would be strengthened out.
 An article in the Republican this morning. however, puts 1t in an en- tirely different light and quotes Mir Cairns as stating that the Democrats story Is false. We have some finger Ing doubts that Mir Cairns put 1t just that way, although he possibly may have been tempted to say something like 1t. But 1t doesn't make any diff ference what MT Cairns or anybody says. the record Is there, and that is what stands whether we like 1t or not. The only thing said that does not look right Is the inference tha 1t was understood the $5,000 year salary was to stand unless the alder men should take further action on the matter, when 1t was made plain at the time the matter came up that 1t was to last just one year and no more, the efforts of Mir Larkin tt make 1t for an indefinite time or even for two years, receiving scant consid. eration.
 The vote passed in 1907 on this matter was as follows:
 Voted, That the recommenda- tions of the board of commissioners of public works be adopted, and that the salary of the city engineer be continued at the rate of S5,000 per annum, for one year, from and after August 15, 1907."
 The report of that meeting as it appeared in the Democrat of August 6, 1907, tells how the recommenda- tion was received, as follows:
 All the recommendation of the board of public works were approved without debate with the exception of one regarding the salary of City Engineer Cairns, and this went through as recommended after bitter fight to make the salary $5,- 900 year permanently instead of for one year as the board of public works desired. Three years ago the salary of Mr Cairns was fixed at $5,- 900 per annum for three years and after that it was to be $3,900. The time limit for the higher sum is now nearly up and the board of public works, believing that Mr Cairns should have the same salary for U longer period, recommended that the old wages be continued for one year more. MT Larkin wanted to make this for an indefinite time, but Alder man Spain was very much opposed to that and largely through his efforts the position taken by the board of public works was sustained The board went into a committee of the whole to discuss the question and during the exchange of opinions great deal was said for and against ehC w utu llle committee of the whole adjourned and the regular meeting re-convened MT Larkin asked for an informal vote as to whether the salary should be $5,000 for one year, $5,000 for two years or $5,000 without any time. The motion was lost and then after some remarks by MT Spain, MT Law Tor. MT Noonan and MT Nell, the original question was put and car ried, making the salary $5,00O for another year. At first it was under stood that MT Cairns would have to resign, just as he had done before when the salary was advanced, but this was dispensed with, although the resignation was on hand in case it happened to be called for"
 Anybody who cares to is at liberty to say that this article and the one which appeared in the Democrat yes terday are false, but the person who might hazard such statement never could furnish the proof of 1t. The time limit for MT Cairns's $5,000 per annum salary expired on August 14 of this year, and notwithstanding this the engineer has since been re- ceiving his wages on that basis in- stead of at the rate of $500 a year. This was all the article said and noth- ing can be tortured from it to show that it meant any more.
 Alderman Larkin has been inter- viewed and talks about what cheap man MT Cairns is at that price, but what has this to do with the case? The article in the Democrat didn't say MT Cairns isn't q good man, nor did it imply that he shouldn't have the $5,000 right along.
 The morning paper also states that an attorney claims the higher salary holds until the aldermen take anoth- CT turn out of It. That may be true, too, but even so it would not follow that the Democrat had published falsehood, for while a court might decide that way, 1t is fact that mo- body in the board of aldermen or elsewhere understood at the time the salary question was settled for year that 1t was to go on forever. If the vote of 1907 is good for all time what Is the reasen a similar one passed four or five years ago had to be passed again at it's expiration? Up to the time of Mir Eltons admin istration the highest salary the en- gineer had was $s,000 year. At that time the following recommends tion of the board of public works was adopted:
 Voted. That the salary nf fhe