New Britain herald., 1922-04-05
HARTFORD ELECTION.

The election to the mayoralty ir Hartford of Richard J. Kinsclla democrat, emphasizes conditions al. ready indicated plainly It shows rst the value of candidates giving pub. licity to his advocacy of popular demand. second it shows that moder- alton and some appearance at least of fairness must characterize the sup port given candidate or that sup port" will react against him W is at- tempting to benefit, and it continues to disclose growing democratic strength in this state.
 Candidate kinsela was aided ma terially to his election by his asser tion that he would fight for a lower trolley fare. The same cry helped win the election for Mayor Hylan in New York. It is said frequently, and with some propriety. that such an issue has no more place in an eec- tion than would the issue of lower lighting rates or lower prices for any other commodity. And yet the people cannot see, perhaps, why the influence of the Mayor of their city would not be of great assistance in bringing about any change for the better-even change in the price of safety pins.
 As matter of fact there is little a mayor may do in the matter of the trolley fares other than to lend his support to any movement to bring about lower fares to attend hearings when fare questions are before the public utilities commission, and to bring to a sane discussion of the question all his wisdom and learning to the end that the commission and the Connecticut company might be convinced the lower fare would be just and right both to the people and to the company. The machinery by which a lower fare may be obtained if such lower fare would be equit- able. is provided for by law and may be set in motion without the serv- ices of a mayor or any other public official. But the people, the voters, want the lower fare so badly, and the people are, so thoroughly convinced that the lower fare will work to their benefit and the benefit of the com pany-if the people feel in Hartford as they feel in New Brtain-that they grasp at any straw which may aid them in obtaining it. The Con- necticut company realizes the value. even the necessity of obtaining the good will of the people. The Com pany will consider long this evidence of the feeling in Hartford as indca- tive of the strength of the public sentiment
 The recent successes of the Dem ocratic party in this state are sus- ceptible of two explanations. Either there is being registered protest against the National administration, or the power of the state Republican machine is waning, or there is a com- bination of both. How great a part national affairs play in municipal and town elections is a question. That they play a greater part than they have in the past is indicated by the fact that no comprehensive eNplana- ton for the changed sentiment as shown recently at the polls may be seen without resorting to this convic- tion. If force is given to this belief it becomes plain that the people of this state do not like the way things have been going at Washington.
 It is believed. however, that the weakening power of the state ma chine is more directly responsible for recent results The tendency of men, since the war, to become independent and to refuse to be led blindly. would justify the repetition Of the phrase ''the day of the political boss is pass ing Certainly yesterday was not his day in Hartford. Certainly the hours Of the New Britain Republican primaries did not make his day.
 The Hartford election gives a new significance to indications of Demo | cratic strength as recently shown. It | confirms the conviction heretofore ex- pressed that the election in New Brit ain will be closer this year than it has been in many years although the city will be slow to follow the lead of nearly all Connecticut cities and turn Democratic.
 JAPAN OUT OF SIBERIA