New Britain herald., 1919-02-27
Sexton Starts TRADE.

The opponents to the 25 mill ta1
were itching for a chance to speak
and several attempts were made tC
have Mr.. Chamberlain cease. When
he did stop, M. A. Sexton jumped to
his feet and asked for the floor The
floor was given him by Mayor Quig-
ley and he then started q TRADE
against the proposed rate, the Off
Gals of the city, and conditions in the
city in general. He amended the res
olution of Mr.. Chamberlain making
the tax rate 81 mills. The fact that
the opponents Of the 25 mill rate had
many followers present was evidenced
when Sexton mentioned Fl mills.
There was loud and prolonged ap-
plause and no respect was paid to tho
efforts Of the chairman to keep order.
Sexton continued his speech by ask
ing several personal questions of Mr.
Chamberlain. The first question he
asked was:
why can't we run the city Of New
Britain on a p mill tax rate when the
city Of Hartford can run their city on
a 20 1-2 mill rate?"
Continuing he asked:
'Why can Meriden run on IS
mills?" This question was resented
by the crowd and he was answered
that it couldn't and doesn't run on
that rate. Some one in the crowd
was with him and answered.:
"Meriden knows how to run city"
Denounces Everything.
Again asking questions Mr. Sexton
asked:
why does it cost more to run the
city of New Britain than any other
city in the entire state OF Connecti-
cut?''
He was interrupted by the mayor
calling him to order and the question
under discussion. Sexton replied:
ST know my rights and I shall in
sist on them. [ shall speak all night
If necessary"
Whereupon the crowd again let
loose and yells and cat calls resulted
no one knowing whether they were
aimed at the mayor or Sexton. Con-
tinuing Sexton told the people that
the first year of the present admins
tration the tax rate was Is 1-2 mills
last year it was 20 IL mills and now
he said they're going to try and ask
25 mills" He exorted the crowd not
to be camoufiaged or fooled. He cried
in ringing tones:
"They are going to bond the city Of
New Britain
Kisses For 4Americanization.
He was again called to order and
Sexton appealed to the floor for sup
port He told them that the schools
wanted 100000 for repairs and
spoke of the repairs which they did
get He reminded them that the
money to the last cent would be TAX
en- from them and it was up to them
to decide whether it would be- He
also said he thought some of the citi-
zens in the city knew as much about
running the city as some of the city
officials did He told them that the
taxpayers were not trying to cripple
the city and it would run under the
new conditions. He appealed to the
pecuniary side of the crowd in telling
that the amount for characterization
had been cut out by asking if the peo-
pie thought that the foreign born
men who went out to fight for the
country needed to be Americanized.
Whereupon again the crowd was with
him and Kissed characterization and
its sponsors.
Again he resorted to an appeal to
humanity and asked them if the ex-
ample of the Polish Legions leaving
this city to go out and face death on
the battlefields was not enough to con-
vince them that they do not need to
be Americanized He concluded the
appeal by saying. AWAY with this
rot AT that point 2. s, McMahon
Whispered to Sexton and the latter
said he had said enough. Before
ceasing. however. he told them that it
was time to start practicing economy.