Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-26
ABOUT CITY WORK
hmes S. Elton Thinks Local
Men Should Have Preference

lt was expected from the outset
lat everybody would not approve OF
jecting the bill Of Blakeslee Il Sons
IL grading Waterville and Homer
reefs and combining bids to local con-
actors and citizen workmen. 1t Is
matter on which good men may and
|, honestly differ. Under ordinary
snditions nobody would suggest
at the proposal Of the New Haven
I'm be rejected, but at this time
hen SO many residents Of the town
ie out of employment 1t appeared TO
majority of the representatives OF
lie city government that it was FOR
e best interests Of the city to hold
4 this work right here in Waterbury.
be may be asked why this was not
ought of before outsiders were in
tied to submit proposals. This may
explained by the fact that nobodT
,nnected with the department OF
bblic works was aware OF the serl-
lsness of the situation in the local
arket. Men who have good positions
nd whose wages come to them regu-
rly are not the first to feel the effect
dull times. After the advertise
ent had been printed public attention
as called to the dull times and upon
#quiry it was found that at least a
Try modest estimate at least LOO
len, not bummers and street corner
Iafers. as some would have you be-
|hve, were clamoring for work at the
Ity yards and that the service of the
|blice department had been called up
II to keep the crowd back, not be-
'luse there were any signs Of vio-
nee, but owing to the anxiety to get
bod positions in the line. EVERY
| her man in the crowd owned a
|ome in which he has a small equity,
| ad all the others are rent payers,
lany of them behind from three TO
months with their landlords, to
|iy nothing about their accounts with
he grocer, the butcher and other
|ealers. Taken as a whole they are all
|lxpayers and if they cannot find
the public will suffer.
Before doing anything some of the
|rgest employers of labor in water
|ury were talked with and without
Exception they advised that the labor
+ kept at home. 1t was not to be- eX-
|ected that anything could be done
|ithout somebody aiming to drag
|olitics into it. We are told now
hat the republicans on the board
we'd the honor of the city. All right;
he democrats held onto the job for
he people and the workmen and mer-
hants of this town will get the money
here is in it instead of having it go
|, New Haven, so that between the
|hole of them they have done fairly
Eell.
tThe commissioners of the board of
lbblic works, the foolish ones referred
I by the wise acres in the editorial
Snctums, didn't bother their heads
bout what the editors might think or
Inv. They went to men of ripper
kdgment, men who have more at
lake and took counsel with them.
bthers trusted to make good by their
Id time tactics of soaring their op-
onents away by the fear Of write
|, in the papers, but in this they
tere disappointed and as conse-
uence Waterbury labor will get the
fork and those who labored to bring
bout this result will be quite con-
Int to take any editorial criticism
lat comes from their change.
James S. Elton, a man prominent
\ identified with the business affairs
{ Waterbury all his life time and
is people before him told Democrat
eporter to-day that under the condi-
IONS that exist in Waterbury at the
resent time he was very much
leased to see the work held for our
wn citizens. Here is an unbiased
pinion. the opinion Of man who
ppresents more of his own right than
ny other man in the city and the
ublic man whose conduct merits the
pproval of such citizen can well
ford to take few cuffs and kicks
rom men who have nothing but
mall nprsonal ends to serve