Norwich bulletin., 1909-02-13

1t is well for those who employ many
men, those who have influence with
many others from other causes, and
who use that influence to secure
majority vote in New London town
meetings, that the laws of Rhode Is
land do not prevail in Connecticut.
In Connecticut all voters are entitled
to participate in town meetings with
out restraint, but usually many Of
these vote under influence and help
carry through projects in which they
have no. interest and therefore can
easily burden the actual taxpayers
without bearing a share of the bur-
den.
Not so in Rhode Island At the
financial town meetings in that state
none can participate except actual real
estate taxpayers, and before each
meeting the voting lis is canyassed
to determine beyond doubt just those
who are entitled to participate in the
meeting. In consequence town meet
ings cannot be packed by non taxpay-
ers for the purpose. in some instances
of defeating the wishes of a majority
of actual taxpayers, and thereby clog
ging the wheels of progress, to ad-
vance the personal interests of those
who seem to hold them under almost
hypnotic influence.
aAdliJ LlItbS HldllGIS utGiueu III Town
meeting would receive contrary decis-
ion if left entirely with the real estate
taxpayers, the people who pay the
direct freight.
A large majority of the board of
aldermen, If they mean what they say,
will not vote in favor of the Vets
resolution to abolish the office Of
clerk to the board of assessors. It
ic e.
resolution is of his own making. and
not the suggestion of Mayor Arm
strong, although while Tax Collector
Richards was in office, the mayors
appointee, no mention was made of re-
duction In salary. but now that Tax
Collector Douglass is back in Office
Mr. Viets includes Douglass in his
charge against the office held by Fred
Burrows, by advocating a fixed salary
instead of the commission plan.
1t is understood that Mr.. Vlets
would accept the office of clerk to the
board Of assessors at 5000 a year. or
$500 less than paid Mr.. Burrows, and
the service would probably be in
keeping with the salary. Mr.. Viets
has had experience as a member of
the board of assessors, and, during
their sessions one year he was sick
and unable to attend to the duties Of
$1,000 a year for the assessors, and it
is said that of that sum he received
$333.34, and the other two assessors
who did the work. received $333.33. On
another occasion. while Mr. Viets was
an assessor, a clerical error of consid-
cradle magnitude was made in the tax
abstract, and discovered by the town
clerk in making up the tax book of
course, no loss resulted, but tends to
show that assessors, who receive small
salaries, sometimes uneafned, are La
BILE to make error just like the rest
of the common herd.
The present is the third attack Mr.
Vets has made upon the Office of
clerk to the board Of assessors. and
Fred Burrows and some Of his friends
begin to look upon the action OF the
alderman as persistent persecution.
There has been another city meet
ing concerning that proposed new city
and county building, and by decisive
vote it was declared no new building
was wanted but If money was to be
spent in that line that it be expended
in patching up the old court house at
the county's expense. and the city hall
at the expense of the city Just how
that action affects the original prom
osition is beyond many who took ac-
tive part in that city meeting 1t is
known, however. that provision has
been made to raise $4,000 for a new
building, one-third Of which was to
be paid by the county. the balance by