The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-24
Col. N. H. Heft Demands Organization of Body on Non-partisan Basis and Refuses to Become a Member Because His Mo tion Is Denied Alderman Near Makes Speech for Fair Play.


 Because many of the 450 citizens were unable for a time to gain en- lightenment as to what constituted the necessary qualifications for mem bership in the Tax Payers League. the meeting called at Warner Hall last night ito form a tax payers league" took on the semblance of a riot The mass meeting" developed into a gathering in which two conflicting ele- ments proved obstacles. to getting down to business. On the one hand, the gentlemen who were on the inside of the movement sought to railroad through the program they had prev hand. outsiders, attracted by the an- nouncement of the mass meeting were repeatedly denied recognition when they attempted to learn wheth- CT they were to be allowed to take part in the proceedings
 shouts. jeers. cat-calls, stamping, rowdyism far in excess of that al- tendant upon exhibitions of the prize ring. made the gathering one of the most unique in the city's history The body of the house embraced a large number of wealthy and representative manufacturers. and 1t was noticeable eager to rough house. the meeting as any In fact. most of the disturb ancos found their origin with men looked upon as embodying some of the leading interests of the city
 It was only by the most glaring of high handed methods that the coterie of men who had already met twice to discuss the formation of the Tax Pay ers' League. were able to carry their point Protests from all parts of the hall demanding that the nominations for officers of the league come from the floor of the meeting were disre- garded. Men seeking to know wheth- CT they had a voice were regarded as non-entities. and their voices de- manding recognition, fell on deaf ears, until the program agreed upon could be carried out.
 After almost an hour of conflict. the opposition to the previously laid plans was practically. withdrawn in the face of the gag-rule and iron-hand meth ods of the chair. and then the. league was ..organized" after fashion. and started on its career
 Jerome Orcutt. second vice presi- dent. and former general manager Of the D. M. e. Go. took the chair at S:15. and called the meeting to order. M- E. Brewster-Greere. secretary of the Manufacturers association. assum- ing the post of secretary
 When MT. Brewster-Greene had con- cluded reading the outline of the con stitution, as published below, George M Flames, one of the committee of 30 appointed to draft the constitution, moved it's adoption. The motion was promptly seconded
 Mir. Orcutt apparently forgot the parliamentary practice of calling for on, the motion, and asked for a viva voce vote forthwith At this point Lynn W. Wilson sought to gain unable to do so. and the vote was taken without debate. The chair de- clared the motion carried
 Then Mir. Wilson took the floor, and Al .s- |. ly refrained from giving him an op- portunity to be heard Everybody sat up and took notice at this juncture- Interrupting the speaker MT Orcutt turned to Thomas H. Macdonald, direc- tor of the American Graphophone Co.,, and begged the meeting to excuse him as chairman, and allow MT. Macdonald to take his place. He pleaded ignor- ance of parliamentary practices as his excuse.
 MT. Wilson at once took issue. 'T am totally unable to understand this said he. T had assumed from the calls for the meeting as they in the newspapers. that the pnrnose of this meeting was to estab- fish deliberative body. It follows that such body would name its own MT Wilson's object was to get into the constitution Of the league d plank in favor of tax equalization This plank was declared out of order
 Harry F. Porter then asked the chair to define the meaning Of taxpayer, that there might be no misunder- standing as to who could take part ID the meeting. MT. Wilson then pointed out several classes of taxpayers. such l as owners of stock. people who pay military taxes. and those who pay l business taxes as we'll as those who pay real estate. He tco was about to l ask what sort of taxpayers was to be | in the league. when the riot | broke out
 "sit down." growled somebody in the rear of the hall.
 Don't you do it." rejoined another. |
 Whether the gathering derived it's | from the massive map of | the Yale-Harvard football game. a | feature of the stage set | ting, or whether it was for the sake | 1f diversion the attendance was in an | 1proar in a twinkling- MT Orcutt, | plainly all at sea. made little or no | effort to preserve order.
 At length when some measure of | uuiet had been restored. MT. Wilson | asked the chair. either to recognize | him or declare him out of order. Some body in the hall yelled. Out of order" The chair so ruled. and MT. Wilson -ock his seat
 MT. Orcutt was much disturbed. The | we'll oiled mechanism of the league | lad slipped a cog. It was some time | before he could take up the thread | If the performance from where he | lad broken of.
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