New Britain herald., 1919-12-27

the spring will be a warm one and will pivot around the question of economical administration of munici- pal affairs, When the twenty one mill budget was adopted for the present 1bcal year the people declined to heed the warning of city officials well post ed on the subject that it would not provide sufficient funds with which to conduct public affairs. It was pre- dicted then by these officials that the. income derived from the twenty-onc mill tax would prevent the city from paying it's current expenses and such has been the case.
 The Taxpayers league is apparently girding up it's Joins for q brisk and peppery campaign and it would not be improbable that some opportunist not now thought of, may go into of flee on the promise that he will cut down public expenses and save the money of those whose taxes provide the sinews for the treasury. Such things have happened in other cities. In fact the first election of Mayor Quigey was due to q great extent 10 the fact that he pledged himself to abolish unnecessary eXpenditures. No doubt he was thoroughly sincere in believing that unnecessary bills were. contracted and money wasted. But he has had an opportunity to survey the subject from the other side of the fence and by q queer trick of fate, if he secures the nomination or the republican party, he may be forced to defend his admins st tration against the charge of waste of public funds. It will be recalled how fevid were his remarks during that first cam paign when he declared that he would conduct city affairs ill a man s ner that would leave nothing for thet taxpayers to complain of It was the other fellow at that time who was extravagant and it will be interesting to note how the nlayor-always taking into con si iteration that he will be back on the stump-eNplains away what others are certain to consider eNtrava- gances during his terms in office.
 Democratic chieftalns consider the immediate future rosy and they eN- press confidence in their ability to- elect a member of their party to of tce, n the spring. Their chances were never 5hter in theory because Of the wave oS unrest that is sweeping
 over the country and the almost gem eral inclination to place the blame | for everything on those who hold 1 public office. Democratic success will 1 depend entirely on the man they se- i lect to uphold the party standard He l must be of high type and must be 1 recognized as one conversant with the 1 fundamentals of business andh pos- sessed of' ability to perform his func-' l lions with an eye on the ledger.
 One Of the issues Of the campaign
 may be the Board of Education which 1 has especially won the dislike of the
 Taxpayers league. The league seems
 to think that the board is prodigal in ! financial matters although it Is diff
 fcult to understand how such blame
 is deserved in view Of the fact that school teachers all over the land have
 been awarded well-deseryed increases
 in pay and the growth of the city de
 mands the expansion Of the school 1 plant. There are three things necer
 sary 10 school system, the children.
 the teachers and the building. So
 long as the people provide the chit-
 dren and want them to have the ad-.
 vantages of education, so long must
 the same people provide teachers and 1 school buildings.
 Announcement that F. $. Chamber
 lain would continue to serve on the
 Board of Finance and Taxation has
 served to ncttle some of the members
 of the Taxpayers league. The Ob
 server holds no brief for MT. Cham i berlain but recognizes in him a man. who, by training and experience, is
 an asset to any public commission
 which is entrusted with considering
 and passing on the expenditure of l public funds.