New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-03-28
THE PEOPLE DO NOT CARE


Attendance at the caucuses to nom
mate members OF the city meeting
board which were held last evening,
proves pretty conclusively that the
people OF the city do not care a great
deal who has charge of the finances
OF the city. The people will object to
the tax rate; the people will object TO
what the politicians do. The people
will do these things-later. But last
night they did not take the trouble
to raise their voices to see to it that
their interests would be protected.
It is true that the people do not
have much to say about government;
It is painfully true. But the events Of
last night show that the people them
selves are to blame in great meas
ure. Non partisan caucuses were sup
posed to be held to select the names
Of the persons to be put on the city
meeting board in place of those whose
terms expired. Those names selected
last night will be printed on the bal
lots. OF course, when election to the
city meeting board comes the people
do not have to vote for the names
printed; but they will SO vote most of
them; it is so much easier-and, in
cidentally, mighty few of the people
oil 90
at each caucus was probably seven or
eight, or perhaps dozen. Those in
terested in the city government, or in
politics, did the natural thing; they
prepared states. In the third ward an
attempt had been made to get electors
to come About half dozen were
there and it took all of seven minutes
to nominate the slate. The lack of
decent presentation-decent in
numbers, not in quality-was none's
fault except the peoples who did not
come.
The fact of the matter is that any
politician would have been able, had
he so desired, to get one influential
number of his party in each ward to
pack" the various caucuses and to
obtain nominations for members of
his party only. Their names would be
printed, and, with the prospect of
very small vote in each ward tonight,
those whose names were printed
would be elected. Thus, as there were
As vacancies to be filled, As persons
of the same party pledged to the
person VINO had secured the pack
ing" of the caucuses, would become
members of the city meeting board.
And, be 1t remembered, there are
often no more than 4S persons in at
tendance at sessions of the board. |
The finances of the city would thus be
in the hands of one man-one politi-
clan. This packing" being repeat
ed from year to year as vacancies
come, would result in complete dom
ination of the city's finances by one |
man. And it would be the fault of |
'the people"
Probably nothing of this sort hap
pened last night. Those active in
politics did the natural thing-prob-
ably their selections were all proper
in making up states to facilitate pro-
ceedings. If they had not done so no
one would have known at the caucus
es just what names to suggest, no one
having taken the trouble to find out
who were eligible. In one case, for in
stance, a vacancy was filled because
the former incumbent was not
voter. Great!
Anyone may go to the elections to-
night and vote for person not on the
state in his ward-a person whose
name is not printed. This is the
theory that makes it seem the cry of
an alarmist to urge people, another
year, to attend these caucuses. But
In practice the few people who will
take the trouble to vote tonight for
members Of the city meeting board
will not take the trouble to scratch
names and insert others. Possibly all
names on all states are good names.
That is not the point. The point is
that the people have no right to com
plain as to the manner in which the
finances of the city are run as long as
they the people, refuse to incon
venience themselves enough to see to
it that the persons in whom they have
confidence are nominated for and
elected to that board.