New Britain herald., 1914-08-08
'

l places he is being
 recognized as the
 s~-'~.'-- leader of the republi-
 can party of New
 Britain and it may be said with all sincerity that the claim is in dispute. The mayor won great victory last spring and it has naturally called the attention of other cities to him for the reason that he was practically unknown as a political force before.
 Whether Mr.. Quigley will demand
 political recognition for himself or for some one else as a reward for
 his services has not been explained. There is hardly any doubt, however.
 but that he will exact some form of recognition, but whether he will re- ceive it is another question. When the late George w Corbin was elected mayor of this city there was much
 talk concerning the prominence he had thus gained. He was talked of for Various offices; one out-of-town
 paper said that he was being re- garded as suitable timber for congress and In those days a nomination on q republican ticket meant a good chance of election, but when the convention came around his name was not men,
 toned and the reason for it was that the novelty of his election had worn off and he ceased to be a state fig
 ure. New Britain is large enough to bring attention to it's leading off, ficials, but they must be above the average in ability, in other words they must show that they are able to run city as a city should be run and that they are large enough to fill more important offices. Mayor Quig
 ley has not been in office long enough to attract any such attention and un- til he does he cannot hope to become a state leader. Without any thought or intention of suggesting a course of conduct for the mayor it can be truth fully said that the mayor who will make good in his office will be the one who makes his interest in the city paramount to all other things and the one who does not do that will find at the end of his administra- tion that he has been a flat failure New Britain will soon find it neces- sary for republicans and democrats to come together and select a man for mayor who understands the city who will give all his time to it's ser- vice with the hope that such an ad- ministration will straighten out what ever troublesome questions now confront it, place it on a plane where business and not politics will be tile keynote of the government and where the officials will give the best that is in them for the people whom they have been chosen to serve. If the mayor of the city dabbles to any ex- tent in outside politics he cannot give good service to the city because his mind will not be on those matters which demand his best thought, but rather those which offer him personal opportunities for advancement and which may not work out his way in the end Perhaps Mayor Quigley will be an exception. Time will tell
 With the exception of the sewer business, Mayor Quigley appears to be devoting more attention to the police department than any other branch of the city service at present He made some unfavorable comment on some members of the force one evening this week, saying that he would not keep them five minutes. This is in deed harsh criticism. Chairman An drews reminded him that all police men are obliged to pass an examina- tion by a physician. That, however, did not cause the mayor to withdraw his criticism. Mayor Quigley did not any names and the members of the force are left to their own judgment as to whom he referred. If the mayors idea is to improve the force, If 1t can be done, the average citizen would say amen as it is the best service the city pays for, but this cannot be obtained by criticism, by saying men are worthless without explaining where the weakness lies. The police force is more susceptible to criticism than any other department of the city because of the very nature of it's work, but if those in authority have to say about it then it seems the place to say it is to the head of the department and in private. Gen eral criticism made in public Is apt to lead to disorganization. The ele- ment that objects to the police on general principles will take courage from the remarks of the mayor and increase their comment, and the de- partment which should be encouraged the most will suffer the greatest. Of course this is not the object of the mayor, Tar rom IL, ana He "oulu probably be grieved at such a result, but that cannot be avoided if he is to publicly criticise department, and then leave it to others to reform with out explaining where the reform is needed That is an unfortunate con- dition and permits of the application of no remedy except such as only the mayor can give. There should be no criticism in public. unless deserved. and then 1t should be explicit. leaving no doubt as to who is meant, the causes for the criticism and leave the way open and plain for correc- tion The mayor has considerable