The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-31

NORMAL PRODUCTION OF COAL WITHIN WEEKS
|VENESS ANSWERS
 CHARGES MADE BY
 JOHN A. CORNELL

Alderman A. E. Veness in a state ment today takes up the charges made against him by Town Chairman J. A. Cornell, as follows:
 ''Mr. Cornell yesterday addressed a statement to my constituents that I feel in justice to both myself and my constituents, I must reply to.
 ''The Veness company have never asked for Or expected any preferen- tia1 treatment in it's dealings with the city. On the contrary it has been suggested to Us that we might re- ceive preferential treatment. that is being given to the town chairman's s friends, if we changed the name of our company so that it would not be so easily identified. In other words that it might be hidden as some of his and his friends dealings are hid den.
 with the politician, as he is gen. erally understood the crime is not in committing it-it is only a crime when you have been found out. MT. Cornell is the professional politician.
 tThese suggestions were immedi- ately scorned and continue to be scorned. The suggestions were them selves offensive. Those who know me will know this. The Veness com pany were in business before the ad- vent of this administration and have never desired or sought to profit un- fairly by this administrators &C., cess to power. or my election as ar derman from the Fifth district.
 Further. the facts are that, what little merchandise, and 1t is very It. tie. that the Veness company have sold to the city, has been sold to them at considerably less prices than these goods are sold to other purchasers and for less prices than the city had ever bought before. And I have sru- diously abstained from having any thing whatever to do with such bills when they have come before the Finance committee.
 ''The administration's determina- tion that the Veness company should not be favored in any way has result ed in the city's purchasing inferior tires to Carlysle tires at greater cost.
 Everybody knows that my several times candidacy for alderman III the | Fifth district has been a sacrifice ana | a costly devotion in time and money l to the Democratic party and its best | interests without any thought or ex- pectatfon of personal profit. It was never in anyone's widest moments 1 thought that a Democrat could be | elected from the Fifth. It was devo- tion to a cause and to a party, and | my election was largely due to a con l fidence and respect gained by l eighteen (18) years living amongst and association with my neighbors. 1 "But having been very unexpectedly elected, I have cheerfully accepted | the task and have sacrificed consider ably of both time and money, to the | work and function of the office to which I was elected. MT. CornelPs attack and methods of logic. or rather illogic, is very unfortunate.
 What Is the contrast?
 t'Mr Cornell knows that I devo.e more time than he does, honestly, conscientiously and inte1ligently, | every week to the citys work ana in the citys interest for no compensa- | tion whatever. (except from the sat l iSf9cfion n1aa and nrjdp paf from doing it.) While he receives S13,1O0 year for the work he does and the work of his department.
 This department is run jointly | with his business as a practicing law yer and not separately.
 Further, Mr. Cornelrs office | handles a costly system of patronage in the form of receiving from the city and paying out to his friends $10 fees for work, that in my opinion, should | be done by his office without these ' additional fees.
 "The Claims committee, of which am chairman, devote considerable
 time inte1ligently and efficiently tt these cases without any compensation while his office devotes less time an6 receives very remunerative financia
 compensation.
 sHThere is a difference, MT Cor
 nell, a great difference, and the citi'
 zens know it is all in my favor. They know there is a great difference be tween working for love and working
 for pay.
 of my constituents and expect to be
 work But if I no longer have theil 1 confidence; if my conduct does no meet with their approval; and I an
 not representing them and theil
 views I shall accept their verdict il
 good part and willingly but very re
 gretfully retire to private life again.