The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-10-17
KIRK IN ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
FLAYS CORR UPT REPUBLICANS

again. and say to our enemies that |
the local Democratic party is not |
dead; that we cannot be destroyed by |
political treachery or deceit: that we
are a living. breathing, vigorous real
ity and we challenge our foes and the
foes Of good government to decry our
aspire = ne nA ounces % T M q
'SWe owe a duty to the independent
voter OF Bridgeport that we conduct
ourselves so that he may have the
opportunity of casting a vote against 1
an administration whose whole creed
and desire while In Office has been 20
build up a. mighty political machine to
further the political ambitions and
fortunes OF q few men. And at what
a cost!
Bridgeport today is reeling under
q burden Of debt and faced with a tax
rate impissible to conceive of a few
years ago. Under the guise Of pro-
vtding sorely needed improvements.
we have witnessed the putting through
OF improvements conceived on the
spur OF the moment, after daIlying for
years. doing nothing.
I'VE are painfully aware Of the vast
amount of one million and a half dol
lars which the administration has
prodiga1ly paid Warren Brothers. and
we are ashamed in the eyes of our
sister cities when we confess that this
vast SUM was spent without a single
bid from any other reputable paving
concern in the United States.
There are people who say that we
should have improvements and never
mind the cost. We say, that we must
have improvements; that we must be
progressive and that we must prepare
tor the future, but at cost that will
mot be Cumbersome to tho rent payer.
the taxpayer and the business inter-
tests
I'VE ask OF the independent voter a
ldeep consideration of these facts and
we claim In all sincerity that the
Democratic party now offers the only
and the most powerful means of rid
ding our city of this sinister menace.
We believe partisan politics has no
place in q municipal election and at
la Tins like this it is t&s6 duty of all
lyoters to assert their Independence
and cast their vote against contin-
anceN of this system
We cannot believe the great think
ing people Of this city are going to
be blinded by the lavish spending of
money. We cannot believe they are
fooled by the senp0lance of self-gov-
eminent now existing in the City Hall.
We all know we are under the donin-
ion of one man and that the boss
must be consulted on every project
whether worthy or unworthy; that he
must be seen or the work cannot pro-
coed True, we must go through the
motions on the side and make our
p01ce with the boss. Gentlemen. it is
, a damnable situation.
; I'VE believe in the placing Of the
L 1n,1rI Gr~,
rIa sound financial basis by tho estab-
1ishment Of sinking fund based on
"A an accurate financial knowledge in.
!, stead Of the present method of ap.
J, propriating money to make up thu
3 yearly deficit which has increased
d ten-fold in the past five years. Thil
4 applies equally as well to the polio,
9 pension fund which will be rapid,
depleted when the retirement of mel
y bgtps to take place
. erhe trolley situation is an abom
Unable condition and the city Is no
Q altogether b1ame1ess for this condi
{, ton. Entertainments on the building
It lines have been allowed preyentin
the widening Of streets and resu1tin
!. in the congestion OF thoroughfares.
n I'VE believe the city should deman
loop trolley line extension fror
III STATE street. ana howard avenue SOuT
n to Spruce street, west to Hancoc
n avenue and north to State street, Civ
le ing a community Of $4,000 inhabi,
ants and many thousands of working
K men a convenience to which they al
entitled.
- I'VE believe trolley should b
70 extended out South avenue to tn
+ Crane Co., thence to the bathin
IS houses to aid thousands of working
L men and citizens to have access
n this section without a long. tireson
l. walk in all kinds Of weather.
THE new Madison avenue sectic
y should have additional trolley facil
g ties to aid in the development of II
neighborhood. Central avenue fro
p Stratferd avenue north should /
- considered in the further extensie
- OF the trolley system and we belle,
>. the city should demand all this in /
: uncertain tones"
H. - -
Neutrality rules will not be apple
ii Ito the Allies In Uruguay.
no The Troy IN. " Gas Co. inc.eas
ut its capital from So, 000, 600 to 81, 000, o0t
ur Frank NJ James, s5, a retired blu
'st mess man, Is champion knitter of CT