The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-29

 AFTER BITTER ROW
 APPROVE CHARTER
TION OF OFFICERS INCLUD-
 ING PROBATE JUDGESHIP.
OPPOSITION TO PECK IS CREDIT ED WITH HAVING FOUGHT
 FOR DIRECT ELECTION.

III d IOuT nOuT SSSSlOn or COnL1nuOuS debate, that grew acrimonious al times, the town of Stratford, last night, in open meeting expressed itself in favor of the new charter which had been prepared by a previously ap- pointed committee.
 Several amendments to- it's articles were adopted after a keen fight in which it was alleged by the minority that ''steam roller methods on the part of the c:FOId Guard, led by Sen ator Stiles Judson, had been success fully pursued.
 A coup d' etat, according to general opinion was cleverly arranged when ii was decided to elect the principal town officers, including Judge of Probate by direct primary vote. This feature waaf keenly contested and provoked of the old ring still aiming to be in even greater control of the town than under the present government
 One of the most significant accusa- ttonS made prior to the. meeting was the statement that a local newspa per had been influenced to such an extent by the political powers that 1t had printed two editions for distribution one in Bridgeport and the other in Stratford that the provisions of the charter might be kept from the voters of that town
 The meeting was called to order by
 
 o'clock. After the reading of the pre- v1ous minutes discussion at once be- gan over the priority of two proposi- lions before the meeting. It was de- ci6sd to first dispose of the HolIiste1 Heights question of annexation. Frank Conine, William Baesett, F. s. Boards pointed tellers. After the report of the committee had been read, recapi- tulating the recent meeting at the heights in which it was decided in fla UflY~ (eF iY7fY In town, a. vote was taken and decision to stay with Stratford passed without dissenting voice. To safeguard against further agitation upon the part ed to instruct the se1ectmen, represen- tativeS and senators from the dis trict to oppose any forthcoming leg 1siatfon tending towards annexation and the local board of trade was re- Quested to be governed by the expres- sion of the meeting.
 The proposed charter coming under discussion, it was voted that it be taken up as whole It was decided to de bate each of the 26 individual clauses separately and upon motion of Frank Condne who intimated that an attempt might be made to muzzle free discus sion 1t was the sense of the meeting that all who desired to speak upon subjects might do so. The first arti- cle relates to the election of seIeetmen and a Board of Finance. MT Confne expressed himself as in favor of hay ing these officials elected by popular
 Dr. R. A. Curtis then took excep- tion to the clause which indicated that the first selectmah would hold office under salary, the others not being paid, and also desired to have all political parties represented upon the board. He said that many a fond tax payer had looked forward to the time when the. affairs of the town would be taken out of the hands of a, ring only to awake and find it but a. fond should be thrown around the board of finance which would correspond with those in force in eighborfns cities which he intimated did not always pro amendment limiting the membership to not more, than two members of any political party.
 ; The doctor was designated as a nov replied to other speakers who had supported the motion and classed the amendment not only as faHacious but as against the ~conStitu- ton of the state. He asked if Dr. Curtis believed the Progressive party was here to stay or was merely elect nauseated by previous acts Of their, constituents. He said that there could never be more than two parties, as if the Progresives were successful and permanent, the Republican party would disappear. But, said the speak CT, if the Republican party is ever pur- fried, the thousands of men who left it's ranks will be found again in their. old places
 Cries Of tsNo.'' 'eNo,'' greeted this sally, to which the Senator defied his by responding You vote as you pIease.''
 pr. Curtis on question of personal admitted his ideas of poIiti- cal work were crude and that if he ponent in rhetorical debate he would be outclassed- Dr. Curtis withdrew his motion to elect minor officials by the direct method
 A general discussion was precipitat- ed by an attempted speech by MT. Conine upon the finance board, and attempts to lay the motion upon the table were thwarted by Beardsley, Judson and others after a spirited passage with the speaker in which he was invited but refused to go into a The first section was adopted by ac- 
 Upon discussion of the second sec tion, relative to election and term of office of selectmen and finance board. Conine in several unfinished speeches took opportunity to claim that the proposed charter was a frame up.' The section was carried, as were sec tions three, four, five and six with out noticeable animosity.
 Section seven provoked spirited de- bate over the transfer of finances from one appropriation to another Fhe discussion was precipitated by a motion offered by E.. Van de Bogart supported by Robert Brandt and VII liam Sullivan in which the honesty of town officials was impugned by inn plfcation and retorted to in kind by Judson who remarked that if rogues were elected roguish methods must be expected~~ With slightly changed amendment the motion was carried and the section adopted.
 Section eight relative to the division of the town into sections for taxation purposes provoked much criticism it first being elected to include Lordshfp Park which was later reconsid cred as was also the suggestion that Connor's Lane be. taken from the first district A suggestion by MT. JudSOn that the Land Company be permit ted to decide whether or not it wish ed to be; included in the first district caused MT. Richard Stanton who had been heard on several previous occa- sions to accuse the committee Of be-