New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-09
WOmen'S Row Over Babies
May Change Form of
Town Government.
MEETINGS PACKED"
IS CHARGE MADE
Strangers Used to Aid Ring,
AccuserS Say-Graft Hints
Made in Fight.

Inc three funQreu-N edf-OIu toNH ihcSb-
ing system of town government in Green
witch, Conn, IS TO be kicked ont or exist
cree If the plans of the men In the re-
form element in New York's richest sub
urb so through and they are able TO
carry out their determination to abolish
the antiquated relic OF colonial govern
ment still I'm force and replace It in one
swoop by modern city form Of govern
mont, with all the latest Improvements of
a city manager initiative, referendum and
recall.
Some OF them are so much in earnest
over what they consider the drawbacks
of the present town government that
they intend to make the question the
leading issue of the fall campaign for
members Of the Legislature. declaring
that they Will force the candidates 20 take
stand on Whether they are in favor OF
pledgng themselves TO ask the solons at
Hartford TO give Greenwich a new town
charter.
The movement. which has been simmer
ing along for some time, was brought to
| the boiling point as a result Of fight
among the women charity workers in the
town.
one OF the factions wanted to have the
dependent babies of the community taken
care OF in an institution. in opposition to
the other faction, who thought they
should be placed in private homes and
brought up under conditions Of foster
parenthood Under the present govern
ment. this question had TO be decided In
open town meeting. and tho result was
that the ''institutionallsts," with the aid
Of the dominant political ring. carried
things their own way.
The defeated group assert that this was
accomplished by packing the town meet
ing with a few carloads OF Italian and
Polish residents OF the East Portchester
section, some even going 30 far az 10
assert that the strangers were bribed to
vote as their leaders told them to. and
threatening to start criminal proceedings
against some one.
This had the effect Of aggravating an
old question that has long been getting
under the skin Of many Grecnwichers.
Greenwich prides itself on being a silk
stocking" community. In fact. it is SO
silk stocking" say some Of its citizens,
I
country per capita. not excepting Brook
line Mass. II also prldes itself on being
a typical New England town, with lots OF
original Colonial blood.
But during the last few years, espe
clally around East Port Chester, there
has core in a large number OF Italian and
Polish immigrants. The political ring"
so say some, have got control OF these
people and use them for their own pur-
poses TO pack that most ancient of Ameri-
can democratic institutions. the town
meeting, so that good Americans no
longer have anything to say about the
running Of their own town.
Such was the cage. they say. at the
meeting Of February g. when the baby
question was decided "by packing tho
town hall with q few carloads or stran-
gers Wherefore the present new egita-
ton FOR doing away with the town meet
Ing and putting some more modern form
| Of government in its place which the
ring cannot manipulate by means OF
their importations
! Some OF the defeated party were so in
, censed at the methods by which they say
| the ring at tho behest OF their oppo-
nents, wrought the downfall of their
plans, they were for getting their hus-
( bards to start something in the way or
/ criminal proceedings against some on.
But the husbands counselled together and
came 10 the conclusion that under the
existing form Of government, nobody was
as guilty as that.
| But II set them TO thinking, with the
result that they have decided TO revive
the old agitation for doing away with the
town meeting form OF local legislation
and substitute for it the more modern
commission form OF government, with L
city manager to pilot It, The result IS
that this question bids fair to be the main
issue In the fall campaign for candidates
for the Legislature.
The town meeting harks back almost
three hundred years, to the simple days
| when the towns were small compact
homogeneous American communities,
when the neighbors could get together in
the town hall or the schoolhousc or the
church, discuss town needs and measures
and come to some agreeable conclusion.
Times Change at Greenwich.
But things are different in Greenwich
/ now in more ways than one with half a
dozen villages and hamlets included in the
| fifty square miles Of the town limits. con-
| tainng over three thousand voters, the
town meeting still exists, requiring that
whoever wants TO have a voice I'm public
affairs must travel in person at night 10
the town hall, listen to hours of debate
! I'm stuffy room that is not big enough TO
/ hold third OF the registered voters. and
J then cast his vote by the primitive
method OF raising his hand or yelling
yes or mo" all in the good old-fash-
| toned New England way.
The distances and varying road cond-
| tons make II impossible. they say, for
| them all 20 get TO the meetings. where
! practically all measures are disposed OF
that a representative board OF aldermen
and its committees attend TO in the
routine course OF business in city gov
/ crnments.
And even this is not the only condition
! that practically DISTINGUISHES them, say
when they do brave the difficulties OF
| coming 10 town meetings they find when
| they get there that the meetings are
usually packed with that crowd or Ital-
ians and Poles brought from East Port
! Chester in specially chartered cars by