New Britain herald., 1916-09-28
PaaInViale News JOHNSON WILL WIN; DOPESTERS' OPINION Reelection Of Republican First
 SeleCtman Is Expected
 PLAN PAST MASTERS NIGHT

Little Interest in the Coming Election
 -Republicans Confident of Victory
 Many Sign Petition for Voting
 Nachines-Zabel Boy Getting Better | With the annual town meeting but | four days off, interest in the outcome
 of the voting for the various officials
 is seemingly nil and for the hrst time
 in number of years there is but little
 talk concerning the probable results of the contest for first selectman.
 The republicans appear to be satisfied that their ticket is to win easily and the democrats have but little to say, few of them volunteering any pre- l diction.
 Men ordinarily regarded as being familiar with conditions around elec- ton time can see but little chance for the place now held by William J, Johnson, the choice of the republl- cans The same two men opposed
 each other a year ago and Mr. John
 son won by very small margin.
 The democrats, however, do not l claim that their man will make as good a showing this year. At the last election dissatisfaction over the l police arrangement injured the re- publicans and no doubt threw some votes to MT. Hart. The latter's re-
 moval as deputy sheriff, which oc- cured but short time before the election. coupled with his personal popularity and other conditions un- favorable to the G. o. P. were thought to have helped his campaign materially
 This year the case seems to be diff ferent. Selectman Johnson has given an administration that appears to be generally satisfactory and the demo- crats apparently have no issue to work on. Consequently the campaign, if one is in progress, is proceeding very quietly. MT. Johnson's re-elec- tion by substantial majority how ever, is generally looked for. The balance of the republican can didates will also be returned to of flee, judging from the indications at this time. The town has a big re-
 publican majority and there is no req son why the G. o. P. candidates should not win, unless the signs are m ost deceiving.
 Both parties are seemingly satis-
 fled to rest on their oars, the leaders
 figuring that the license issue will bring out the voters, making efforts on their part unnecessary. The saloon advocates are confident that license will again be victorious and their op- ponents, while ready to fight to the last, do not seem to have much hope of success.
 Many Sign Petition. Supporters of the plan for the in stallation of voting machines before the state election in November are ex- periencing no difficulty in securing signatures to the petition calling on the selectmen to order a special town meeting to consider the matter and already the paper carries almos enough names to legalize the demand There appears to be considerable sentiment favorable to voting by ma- chimes instead of the unsatisfa actory Australian ballot and it would not be
 surprising if the meeting orders the purchase of the necessary mechanical equipment.
 While the call for the session will
 make it possible to buy more than one machine, some believe that an extra one will not be required A voting machine will cost between $500 and $700 and the manufacturers
 claim that one thousand votes can
 easily be registered on it a day with out causing any delays.
 The following names are already att
 tached to the petition: John s. Lar-
 son, Peter J. Prior, John E. Lamb,
 James J. Graham, P. J. Prior, Jr,
 M. Leo Prior Roswell G. Hart, Will
 liam c. Hart, James J McCusker, l..
 D. Cady, J. F. Lyons, Frank Gun
 ningham, Thomas Bedford and John
 J. Degan.
 Business Mems Outing.
 Committees working on the plans
 for the annual outing and sheep bar
 becue of the Business and Improve
 ment association which will be hel5
 Saturday afternoon at Lake Com bounce expect that the attendance will be as. large as that of similar af- fairs held in the past. The Com bounce management is preparing for
 an appetizing sheep barbecue which will be served at 1:15. The mem 1 bers and their friends will leave Plainville on the 12:45 Bristol bound trolley and at the "Y" they will be