The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-06-22
Especial to The Times)

ing. It is Mayor Donovan's inten- tion to retire from political life at the end of his present term on Octo- Der 3rd.
 Coming to Norwalk from the neigh boring town of Ridgefield over fifty years ago he has been a prominent local political leader during all that time He is the most widely known man in political circles in the State of Connecticut
 He has devoted his entire time for the past four years to the office and given his salary of $1OOO each year to the Norwalk hospital
 His name is stamped on the his tory of the city for the past half cen tury through all of which he has re- tained the confidence and respect of people of all shades of aopinion and political belief. Whenever he has been a candidate for office he has been supported by the best elements of both parties, an average of one out porting him as ardently as any voter in his own party.
 At a recent weekly meeting of the Kiwanis club a boom was launched for Mayor for F. L. Iamson, presi- dent of the club and Treasurer of the Norwalk Tire and Rubber company. This boom died aborning. the only notice it attracted after publication demand for the renornination of Mayor Donovan and a renewed in- tereSt in trying to persuade him to run again. In fact it is said that ex- traordinary efforts are being made by some leading citizens to force the nomination on him because they feel it would be a regrettable loss to the city to lose such a unique and va1u- 2hle executive and reversion to for mer conditions of reckless and profn- gate expenditures, a headlong plung ing into debt after the fashion of the times instead of the present policy of
 
 omical outlay of public moneys.
 Four years ago Jeremiah Donovan exCongressman, States Senator for several terms. and member of the House of Representatives in 1903 was induced to accept the nomination for Mayor on the Democratic ticket against Mayor Carl A Harstrom on a platform pledged to a reduction of taxes and economy in the administra- ton of city finances. At that time war. having been declared, prepara- tions for the struggle were being made here as well as elsewhere throughout the country for this contest. Prices were rapidly rising, material and labor costs were being speedily in- Hated and a large deficit of over s6o.- 900 above the appropriation for the current fiscal year was facing the new administration.
 Mayor Barstrom in a public ad- dress had stated that the truth of the situation was that "taxeS were high and that there were going to be high er," while MT. Donovan contended that the trouble was due to the extra vagance and inefficiency of liar strom's administration. Money that had been appropriated for certain spe- cific improvements had been used for other purposes not authorized by the Board of Estimate and Apportion- ment which was the legal body to create a budget and make appropri- ations for the running of the city government
 After a spirited campaign Mayor Donovan was elected by 76 majority over HarStrom- On the councilman ic board there were elected four Dem ocrats and four Republicans. One of the Democrats Moore" deserted, and going over to the Republican side under the leadership of councilman Edgar T Murphy, a personal and in innate friend of former Mayor liar strom. With this alignment an ob- structive cabaI was organized to har- ass Donovan's administration and to prevent the carrying out of the pro- gram of economy.
 Mayor Donovan's first administra- tion from 1917 to 1919 was stormy and eventfu1. Resolutions by the op- posing aldermen for increases in the salaries of police and ffremen, and for all kinds of other purposes were introduced and passed after much Wrangling between the Mayor and the opposition The calling Of a meet ing of the Board of Apportionment being a prerogative of the Mayor. he refused to call a meeting of this board to make the appropriations. The police brought suit against the city for the increase voted by the Council, which was held up by inc courts, and despite all the unfavora- ble embarrassment of the time at the crest of war, when prices for everything needful for the city had reached their peak he was able to r-%I, quldate portion of the city's bonded indebtedness. straighten out the tan sled financial muddleS the Harstrom management had left and clear the way for a very substantial reduction of taxes during the second year of his administration.
 Previous to the consolidation of the cities of Norwalk and South Norwal1 the Town of Norwalk and district of East Norwalk, into one city in 1913 It was the custom for the two cities to elect a new set of officers each year in October and begin their terms January 1sr the following year Taxes were laid in February and collected ance all the various governments throughout the town was borrowed rom the local banks on short term notes against the May collection of taxes. By that time the greater DOT llon or the money was spent and more
 
 or the year. This wastefuI and ex- travagant system has been changed so that now the tax is collected in the month of October and the money is available immediately at the begin ming of the fiscal year, avoiding the necessity of borrowing throughout the year and the saving of a large sum of interest The surplus funds of the city now in the banks draws per cent interest, a reversal of the for mer practice of borrowing at per cent Or more which is an advantage to the benefit to the city treasury quite obvious to everyone.
 The storm center of all local gov ernment is the school board. It is the origin and breeding place of most of the strife and contention that keeps the local municipal waters tur- bulent Its record and capacity for trouble making is matter of popu- lar opinion It is not within the me mory of the present generation when the school board ceased from troub- ling. or creating discord. Previous to consolidation sectional prejudices dominated their every act, and any measure proposed by member from one district was sure to be regarded d