The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-24
TAX LEAGUE
 ORGANIZES
Ccontinued from Page 1.)

The next step was the reading of the report of the committee of thir- ". recommending nominations. as follows: for president. Jerome Orcutt: first vice-president. Robert D. Hurley; second vice-president. Charles B. Read: third vice-president, Frank Mill Ter. fourth vice-president. A. w. Bur ritt, and treasurer, D. Fairchild seconded that the report be accepted
 Mir. Orcutt was about to put the re- port Of the committee to a vote. when Porter and several other de- from the floor and that there be free discussion of them before the vote was called
 The chairman again pleaded his un- familiarity with his duties and asked the gentlemen to wait a minute. to give him an opportunity to get the off, ficers elected before any discussion was held. A yell of laughter greet was very plainly trying to do his best under the circumstances. gave plain evidences of his discomfiture. Then. like Demostehenes of old. man-elect from the Fourth. arose against the stormy sea of dissension, and fin stentorian tones cried out:
 -Gentlemen. let us start ofr fair Wen defeat tne very ends for which this league Is formed if we carry out A ringing cheer greeted his appeal.
 Again Wilson demanded definition of taxpayer. that he might know who was entitled to voice in discussion
 Tn rejoinder. MT. Macdonald threw some light on the situation. Thie Is not a preliminary meeting" said he This is the third meeting of the or
 But who can voter" insisted wIl- son
 when can we debate these ques- tions7'' interJected Porter.
 There was little promise of progress until Mir Wilson moved. fin order to relieve the embarrassment of Mir Or cuft. that MT Macdonald be made chairman This was carried sunanim- ing the chair. some degree of order prevailed c. D. Davis moved that the secretary cast a deciding vote for the officers recommended and the of ficers were elected
 Mir. Macdonald then went into the history of the movement, and said that in order to effect a permanent organization of the league. the secre- tary had a number of papers setting forth the principles of the movement CTS in the meeting to sign He declar- led strongly that there was no poliu- cal significance to the organizatton- Admitting that he had been a sup
  cent election. he said there was none more willing to extend the right hand of fellow ship to the new admintstra- tion- The papers were then passed up Portsr r then asked the chairman to define taxpayer that it might be known who was eligible to sign the papers
 city of Bridgeport" replied MT. Mac donald. K ed Ihe eos'''n ''
 mittee had come to an understanding as to poll taxes. ''If the league does nothing else but get a lot of citizens on the poll tax list, it will not have been formed in vain" said he It was agreed, he said. that people who paid pon taxes were eligible.
 T. Al this 1uncture, MT. Porter moved that all citizens of Bridgeport be made eligible to membership The motion was seconded Meanwhile the lists were being passed about the hall for
 Col N. H. Heft sounded note of warming when he asked Mir Macdon- ald for light on the proposed board ing to- the constitution of two mem bers from each voting district There are to be no political distincrions. said the chair
  .ror now But some time the person. mel of this league may change Then | the good fellows will get busy. and the only safe way will be to provide start right to avoid dIstrust-" Several others spoke along this line. to the displeasure of the chairman, who finally exclaimed in loud voice.
 You're befogging the issue. and won know you nref
 ~well unless this committee-is made strictly non-partisan. shan't join the movement. but that doesn't prevent anyone else from doing so."
 Col. Heft's final thrust He refused to join. .s
 While the papers were stin being circulated. a communication was read | from Mayor Buckin gham. acknowledge ing an invitation from the secretary to attend the meeting. He pleaded a previous engagement for his non-at- | tendance and assured the secretary, when the league was organized. he would be glad to meet with 1t should it SO desire.
 When the papers we're returned to the chair, the speaker declared the league formally organized Then For ter insisted on his motion that all citi- zens should be eligible. The chair and the secretary declared they had no rec ord of his motion. and again he form
 Did you sign this paper7" aueried
 T did" said Porter.
 One of the Jennings Brothers. man. rfacturers. questioned Porter's reply. Tn response, Porter produced a proxy of a taxpayer. Macdonald refused to accept it, and Porter was seated In the midst Of another disturbance Mac donald then defined taxpayer to mean any citizen whose name appears on the tax roll of the city.
 Then the chairman detailed the origin Of the organization Commit tees were organized. he said. from the Board of Trade. Manufacturers As sociation. Business Mems Association, and a committee Of representative real estate and insurance men met with the committees of the three organized bod ies. waited on the Mayor to discuss the raise in firemen's pay voted at the last meeting of the Common Council. The Mayors veto followed The mat ter now awaits the action of the fn- coming Board of Aldermen. Such