The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-04-04
STAMFORD

IhuSSeu WantS. 10 glVo his IeLLerS a longer ride for two cents and sends them to the New York Tribune in- stead of to us, we will reprint the last one from the Tribune, because we don't want our gentle readers to miss anything anent the ash can con- troversy, the condition of the streets, or the gold brick barrage of the "Rudder Club,'' Here it is:
 'iSir: I note in your columns a let ter signed "Old Irrita!bility,' alluding to "a little Connecticut town in | which the nine councilmen have been compelled to suffer ridicule "because
 they did what they thought right May I say a word or two about the situation which arouses "Old 1rrita- biIity''?
 "A few months ago this town adopt | ed the commission manager form of government in an effort to get rid of which have been it's bane for some | thing over two centuries.
 Strange to say, the system is work ing, and a few Of the ancient and honorablo methods of getting an easy living from the purses of the tax payers have been cut off. For in-
 stance, a military enrolment which
 had been costing $750 was done for $250. Town work is being efficiently
 done at reasonable prices and the politicians see that their day Is done.
 They are naturally very much peeved thereat. The citiens like the change, however, and are standing by the
 new system.
 F'The only method the politicians could SC for a return to the old method of government with its "easy ptckings'' was to upset the modern
 charter. They have worked upon the minds of the council to the point where the council decided to fire the town town manager who had done so much in two or three months as to threaten the livelihood of the old line
 political pap feeders.
 '"The charter. however, is equipped with the initiative, referendum and recall. and the citizens exercised the referendum. Out of a total voting list of about 4j600 people a petition for
 a. referendum was signed spontan- taxpayers Of the various districts have held mass meetings and used every n ethod of urging the councilmen to
 accede to the wishes of the towns people.
 @There's a fly in the ointment. how ever, and the councilmen are remain ing obdurate.
 'Now throughout Connecticut
 there is a distinct desire for better town and city government, and the Legislature is to be asked to pass
 model charter bills for cities similar
 to the action taken in Massachusetts
 The politicians feel that unless
 these charters are to menace the hold
 or the all over LI0 olSLto
 the charter at Stratford must be
 upset. Hence %<Old Irritability" and
 'EUnwh o1esome Apathy and aM the
 others of their iIk are gnawing and
 people of this old community believe to be their best opp ortunity for good
 government.
 "There are several thousand citi-
 gems who are feeling irritable over the situation. They have a fight on
 with the politicians and have maneu-
 vered those gentlemen into the open,
 and the subsequent events will be worth watching.
 ''Stratford. Conn, March 28. 1922"
 It is expected that the State will do consid eralb1e work on the river road to Shelton during the coming summer Plans now being considered are that for the present io1lly the down side will be paved with concrete, the bal ance to be put in shape for a few years with some cheaper material The idea is that the heavy trucking is mostly down, and that the trucks when bound back to Shelton, Ansonia, Derby and Waterbury, arc usually light At that there are a lot of people who would rather see only a portion Of the road done. and done all in concrete, that to have any further funds wasted on a paving that at the best is temporary, or at least short lived.
 Saturday it was cold raw and windy A man and woman with a small baby stood at the end of Paradise Green. waiting a. long long time for a trolley, bound to Bridgeport Finally several reached the Green at the same time, and the first was started back to the thoroughly chilled small baby, walked to the center of the street, only to have. the car pass by them at such a speed that the breeze almost gave the baby pneumonia Eventually another lear following stopped and picked them up. If the moterman have not enough sense to differentiate a little when they get emergency orders to run express to City line" the inspec- tors ought to pound a little into them with one of the Connecticut company flat wheels. Some day a noterman, at least they call them all men, will and small baby and someone will jar them so hard all the nickles will jump into the quarter slot In that fancy ntckle plated money changer
 The spectacle of some of that mer- " crowd present at the Saturday night dinner being flor the charter IS furnasn1ng urn 11 the ne not i 10 De I,, tusee8 f giggies they have had since Turney decided that protection for the coun- ciI was worth $40, without Q requfsi- ton.
 Walter Hubbeu Is mentioned as the next man for the position Of town manager In the first place it might better be called a 'fsftuatfon' than a position. or even predica- ment- And why Walter Hubbell? Also why f1irt with contempt of court? The principal reason one asks why Walter Hubbell is not be- cause it Is Walter HubbeH, but for the one and Tery simple reason that those strongest opposed to Hunter and the charter, have had as one of their 1oudest complaints, the fact that Hunter came from out-of-town. A man who was a town officer until a, few months ago has informed US that Hubbeu moved to Brfd geDort and has not lived in Stratford since last fall If this is incorrect, shoot us a line or telephone R12S7. and we will be glad to stand corrected. April showers