Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-15
The City Councils First Meeting Presents
no Partisan Problems
NO POLITICAL JAR FOR NEW LONDON
Ex- Governor Waller and Mayor Mahan Apparently at
Odds-Nathan Belcher is Being Groomed for Nomi-
nation Representative with Col. Dorsey for
Mate-A Non Partisan Programme Forecasted for
the Year.

The first meeting Of the new court
of common council was in marked
contrast to the great majority that
preceded from the fact that there were
no contests for the offices of tax col
lector, charity commissioner and 9TH
er offices in the Sift of the council,
as there were no rival candidates in
the republican ranks for the offices.
ThlS little matter was all fixed up be-
fore the council resumed session and
the piums were all plucked for the
former fncumpents. In consequence
there Were very few visitors al the
meeting, and there was no waiting on
the outer edges to ascertain which OF
the party candidates succeeded in
landing the offices. The old plan Of
perpetuation in office was carried out
according to programme and without
a hitch. In the office of sealeI of
weights and measures Robert y.
Woodwork was not a candidate for
reelection and in the republican eau
Gus there were several applicants for
the place, but the majority favored
Fred kopp, and there was no contest
in the council Nor was there any
contest for the office of assistant city
clerk, as George Grout who asked for
and received the job when Mr.. Wood
worth resigned that place to accept
sealer OF weights and measures, with
the expectation of landing the nomina-
liOiI Iva lily N4Sih, Nr1o tlOI q NtthNi-
date for reelection. Arthur McGin
ley. son OF the postmaster, was the
unanimous choice of the caucus, and
was, as were the other caucus Am
inees, elected to the office by vote of
10 to 6. a strict party vote.
|
All went along smoothly and as if
creased, and the initial meeting of the
new council was devoid Of special in
terest, as the republican majority was
united and had everything that was
in sight. the republican leader being
prompt to make the nomination of the
winning officers. When in the reg
ular order came the nomination for
park comm ssioner the republicans
made no nomination, as it is the es-
tablished custom to have a. democrat
on the board of park commissioners,
il order that it might be nom partisan.
Ex-Gov. Thomas NJ Waller was the
decided to keep out of the democratic
family sQua bible. 1t was known well
in advance that the democratic mem
bers of the council. including the may
or were not favorable to New Lon
dons most prominent citizen, because
he had the courage to oppose matters
recommended by the court of common
council to the annual city meeting,
and defeated some of the plans of the
mayor for what he considered to be
for the best interests of the city.
The mayor called for the nomination
of park commissioner, but the name
of the governor was not even mon
toned as the incumbent, and the re-
publicans were as dumb as the proven
bal osyter Alderman Alton T. Mi
ner, the democratic leader made a
short speech in praise of David Mac
kenzie, a former superintendent of the
New London Northern railroad, and
the New London Steamboat company,
referred to him as a gentleman of lei
sure and well fitted for the duties of
park commissioner and nominated him
for the position. There was no far
Their comment and the senior alderman
was directed to cast the vote of the
council for Mr. Mackenzie.
The new commissioner is an init
mate friend of the democratic mayor
and may be d democrat himse elf; in
fact. he must be or he would not have
consented to be candidate for demo-
cratic representation in the board OF
park commissioners 1t is known that
he was registered as a republican and
was SO classed, but men of sense
sometimes change, but fools, never.
in democratic caucus and never SEEM
ed to be the least interested in demo-
cratic politics, but he is evidently
democrat just the same. or he would
not have accepted a democratic posi-
ton.
1t is more than passing strange that
tho governor was dropped from tho
mmssionerShip durino the Arm