New Britain herald., 1916-03-27
OUIGLEY'S DEFENSE
 FOR ICE MEETING
Railroad Tactics Poor Mans Gain Says Mayor-Cur-
 tis to Trail Him.

A scattering burst of hand clapping
 was the reward Mayor George A.
 Ouigley received for ten minute talk
 to the employees of Landers, Frary & Clark shortly before 1 o'clock today. In his address the mayor dwelt strongly on the two years of his ad-
 ninistration and maintained he had achieved the results he set out to gain and in conclusion promised to work
 along similar lines for the next two
 years if rewarded with an elec-
 tion. The mayor spoke from the ton-
 neau of an automobile driven by A.
 N. Rutherford, his campaign man.
 ager, who at the close of the talk
 drove rapidly away.
 Councilman o. F. Curtis, Mayor
 Quigleys opponent in the battle for the republican nomination for mayor announced this noon that he will de-
 liver a series of noon-time speeches, following in the wake of Mayor Quig- ley and answering the mayors con- tentions regarding the achievements of the Quigley administration. At noon tomorrow he will begin his cam paign with a speech at Landers, Frary t2 CIarl1's.
 In his opening remarks today Mayor Quigley declared that he is still be- ing opposed by the same machine that he fought against two years ago. For the past two years, said the mayor, have tried to give you a business ad- rlinistration free from pull and favoritism and for the past two years the officials of the city have forgotten nd inia worked for the good of the city. For the past two or three weeks con- tinued the mayor, you have heard statements that the Quigley admins tration is responsible for the increased taxation. I want to say to you resi- dents and tax payers of the city of New Britain that in your hands ard in your hands alone rests the qurs- tion of the tax rate. You can Settle that question in the city meeting. If you don't like the tax rate and the estimates as left by the board of finance and taxation and the common council you have the right to decide ] against them.
 Taking up the question of the tax l rate, Mayor Quigley then denied that | tic Quigley administration was re- 1 sponsible for the 19.6 mill rate. He 1 referred to the state tax or two mills l which has to be paid and also spoke | of the school expenses, which he de- | ciared the common council had no | power over. Referring to O. +. Cur tis, but carefully avoiding his name, the mayor turned to the question of salary increases and declared that this gentleman in the council had not only favored an increase to $1,500 in the salary of the superintendent of streets, but had favored and voted for the in creases for the police and tiremen.
 The men who are opposed to me to- day, said the mayor, are disappointed 1 office seekers, those who l have turned i out of office and the gentlemen who opposed the municipal ice project. Speaking of his action in the city meeting, when he railroaded the ice project through, the mayor declared he would do the same thing over 8 gain if such problem faced him. He declared it was done in the inter- est of the poor people, especially those in the northern section of the city, and maintained that he had the word or the superintendent of health that thn death rate among the children in that section has decreased since the people were able to get municipal ice and the ice corporation had been forced to supply them as d result of l the city competition.