New Britain herald., 1927-01-06
ASKS REFERENDUM
 IN C|TY'S CHARTER
Hamlin Would Give People
 Voice in Public Questions
CHECK ON EXPENDITURES
Would Make It Possible For Citi- zens To Vote On Special Appro- priations of More Than S2O.OO0 and On Other Problems.


 George V. Hamlin, who led an unsuccessful movement to block erection of a war memorial shaft in Walnut Hill park and to have the court of honor perpetuated instead, has written Chairman Edward F. Hall of the charter revision com mittee in an effort to bring about provision for special city elections and for a popular vote on large ap- propriations.
 Hamlin's move is prompted by his discovery that there Is no provision in the existing charter for special elections by which an expression of sentiment may be had from the public on momentous questions: and by the fact that elimination of the city meeting board removed all check on expenditure by the com mon council. These facts came to his attention during his campaign on the war memorial.
 Allotment Of funds for the mem orial shaft is termed by Hamlin to be the foolish expenditure of a very large sum of the public funds for something the public had not been shown to want-a new monu- ment on Walnut Hill"
 His letter to Senator Hall fol- lows:
 Charter Revision Committee,
 New Britain. Conn.
 Hon. Edward F. Hall, Chairman:
 You probably noticed, recently, an attempt on the part Of the voters Of New Britain, to prevent the fool ish expenditure of very large sum Of the public funds, for something the public had not been shown to want-a new monument on Walnut Hill.
 Tt appears according to a letter of Mayor Weld, addressed to me, but written to the public, that the un- named sum of money for the monu- ment had been appropriated. It also appeared that he thought the money thus appropriated must be paid out that it would be wrong to save a portion of it. Private appropriations are often reconsidered. Il is not easy to understand why public officials seem lured to the point of willingly paying more for things than they arc worth. There must be q reason for such conduct on the part of men who, in private life, would pinch & coin so forcibly and so long that 1t would leave it's imprint upon the fingers. If we could find that reason the discovery might be of the great est value to the city. Since we have not discovered the reason we can, at least, prevent repetition of such disgraceful affairs, by so amending our charter, that a repetition would be impossible
 Many cities provide that: Upon application of 50, 75 or 100 voters. Tn writing, it shall be the duty of the mayor to issue his warrant for a meeting of all the inhabitants, for the consideration of the business mentioned in the petition, etc.
 Many cities. also, when about to spend large sums of money, aside from the regular items of expense, submit the proposition to the voters.
 You can readily see how city councils, enjoying unlimited power, fn oh and how dangerous the situation be- comes. when one little group of men. connected with any one political party, holds on from year to year for many years.
 'The republican party is now in the saddle. The boast of the rcpubli- can party has ever been the liberties of the people. This would be a glor- ious opportunity for that party to show that it is seeking only the best interests of the public and that it is unwilling to arrogate to itself power that came to it through oversight or trickerty. What a grand thing it would be for the party in power to return to the people share in the responsibilities of government.
 Tn the belief, therefore, that you gentlemen are anxious to do this very thing, l respectfully request you, in behalf of nearly 400 voters
 Continued on Page Twelve)