The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1920-10-25
SlOVAKS HEAR
LIEUT.. DEvINE IN
SUNDAY RALLY

Over three hundred Americans of
Slovak birth or descent attended a
patriotic meeting in the hall of st.
Johns church under the auspices of
the Slovak Democratic Club. The
president of the club, Andrew Katra-
max, was chairman of the meeting.
Every mention of the League of Ma
lions or of plans to relieve the people
of Bridgeport from the heavy burden
of taxation placed on them by the ex-
travagance of the Republican machine
was vigorously applauded. The prin-
cipal speaker was Michael Tandlich
of New York, who addressed the audi
ence in their native tongue. He 1aud-
ed the Democratic administration at
washington for its splendid record of
constructive legislation and the help
it accorded to people like the Slovaks
in their struggles for liberty. His
denunciation of the attitude of Sen
ator Brandegee was warmly received,
especially when he told the contrast
tionary record and the progressive
legislation sponsored by Congressman
Lonergan.
Lieut. Joseph J. Devine, candidate
for probate judge. said in part: 1.-THE
United States went into war to save
civilization and to end not only that
war but all wars. Do you remember
how happy we all were in armistice
day? Yet when President Wilson
came back with the plan to end all
Paris and which had been endorsed
by the nations of the world, certain
senators, including Senator Brande-
gee, determined that we should not
to attempt to pick flaws here and
there in that great document The
chairman in introducing Lieut.. Devine
alluded to his war record and his pro-
fessiona1 qualifications, his degrees
from Yale University and the success
with which he had met in the prac-
tlce of law in this city.
Town Chairman John A. Cornell
was the next speaker and said in part:
I'VE are paying the highest taxes
of any city of the size of Bridgeport
in the United States. During the last
ten years there has been In power in
this city the same administration. If
a set of men are invested with the
power of government for two long a
period, they inevitably become bold
to take liberties with the public purse.
Today in Bridgeport inc man has the
absolute power of taxation. You
never gave him that power. The citi-
zens of this city never had a chance
to vote on the creation of the office
of tax commissioner. They took the
charter of the city of Bridgeport and
turned it around and took away from
the board of assessors the power of
assessing property and placed it in
the hands of that one man. One man
enjoys the kingly power of taxation
without the consent of the citizens of
this city. What can we do about 1t :?
Under that system property is raised
in taxable value everywhere. We buy
property at $4,000, and the tax COM
missioner says it is worth $4,000. Men
can't live here if this keeps on. They
will go to some other town where
wages are just as high and taxation
and rents are lower.
The opportunity is offered this year
to make a step towards changing that
system of taxation in Bridgeport The
Democratic party has said in it's plat
form that if you elect to the state
| Senate and the General Assembly this
year they will go there pledged to do
| their best to remedy that condition,
| and the Democratic candidates for
aldermen are pledged to petition the
| legislature for that very thing"
Harry J. Platt, Democratic candi-
| date for Congress said: LET us all be
Americans standing shoulder to
shoulder to end war as we did before
| the great conspiracy was formed for
! partisan purposes against that won
| derful man who is dying for the cause
in Washington. Wake up everybody
| Don't allow the propaganda of the
senatorial o1igarchy to put you under
the same spell that Kaiser Wilhelm
and the German people for years
| things that Kaiser Wilhelm did They
are paying peopel to go around and
| talk against the League of Nations
and in favor of the munitions manu-
| facturers. Rebuke them by voting
the straight Democr ticket"
The concluding speakers were
Thomas Hungerford and Franz
Hearn, Democratic candidates for al
| dermen.
British Columbia voted for govern
ment control of liquor.