The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-02-21
CHARTER CHANGES FAVORED BY LEAGUE
Discussion Led By John J. Phelan at Meeting of AL dermen Last Evening.

The Taxpayers league carried the Common Council into midnight ses- sion last night in the flood of defence which Hon. John J. Phelan, repre- senting the league, was obliged to of- fer for the motley assortment of non- descript amendments proposed for the city charter.
 What will be the attitude of the league if the council refuses to en- dorse it's legislation? This question was asked by one of the city fathers. and brought forth a sharp answer that the legislature would be asked to pass them anyway.
 The amendments were attacked from many standpoints, angles. and planes of view The legislation by which the league desires to transfer city to the legislature in the case of police and firef1en was declared to be a board attack upon the principle of home rule, and was denounced as establishing a, dangerous precedent by which the taxpayers would be bound to suffer in the long run.
 To prove this position the city court salary grab bill was referred to as a case in which four or five men had sought the general assembly asking for themselves the modest increase of about $1,500 a year each or about as much as eight firemen received under their raise in pay. This grab it was said would be almost one-third as great in amount as the total allow ance to flremen and the question was asked if it would not be much more satisfactory to have the matter set tied in Bridgeport where the people could hear the arguments and make up their minds whether or not these great sums should be paid.
 The proposal of the league to give the board of apportionment a veto power over the board of aldermen in the matter of bond issues brought out the declaration that the board of apportiOnment had but just given it's approval to a million dollar bond is- sue, and the claim that there should be no bond issue whatever except up- on approval of the people by vote.
 It was charged that the league was actually seeking to remove power as far as possible from the voters and for proof it was alleged that the self perpetuating boards were exempted from the operation of the proposed recall and the effort to make the ap- pointive tax board superior to the board of aldermen, which is directly responsible to the people, was re- ferred to.
 The arguments were illumined by occasional bright spots as when MT. Phelan had said that the people did not approve the firemen's increase and Alderman Paddock replied that he had been elected Senator although his district had been canvassed by somebody who said, That mutt voted to give the fremen more money"
 And it was also remarked while the same subject was on, that Alderman Meyer who had voted for the increase had been warned by an officer of the Taxpayers league that Destiny was waiting for him just around the cor ner. Meyer remarked dryly, '1 guess Destiny is waiting yet for I am here again although last year was the off year fer Republicans"
 A large delegation from the Central Labor Union and the Workingmen's Alliance went away disappointed be- cause MT. Phelan managed to post pone the discussion of the leagues two-thirds vote to reject, until nearly midnight.
 This amendment was pronounced unavoidable and Jasper McLevy. speaking for the organizations above named, said he was authorized to de- mental law be had and that no bonds be issued except with the referendum attached thereto.
 A feature of the league legislation that came in for sturdy attack was the proposal to elect the mayor for four years and then deny him a re- election. This was called freak leg is1ation of the worst type.
 NIT. Phelan's presentation of his case was accomplished in his accus- toned able manner. and while many took issue with him, none could gain posed plans of the Taxpayers league.