New Britain herald., 1927-08-06
COMMUNICATED
PROTESTS EXCLUSION Acr1o,

PROTESTS EXCLUSION ACTION
To the Editor:
May I. As q citizen Of New Brit
ain. though not property owner.
register a protest against the auto
cratic oligarchy which has establish
ed itself in New Britain? 1t appears
that the 100000 proposed Sewer
Bonds meets, as an issue. the ap-
prevail Of select few. of the Inner
Circle, and no others: yet that few
wishes to involve the city in a mat
ter which has not been fully con-
sidered. by them. In opposition to
this bond issue. and representing q
large body Of overburdeRed tax-pay-
ers. George A. Quigley has asked the
privilege Of the floor OF the Com
mon Council. to give the City Gov
eminent the benefit OF exhaustive
study Of the subject OF sewage dis
posal-a study that took him to
numerous cities and many experts.
Besides this, while Mayor, Mr.. Quig-
ley made a conscientious investiga-
ton of the best obtainable authors
on the subject: and is probably bet
ter qualified. than any other per-
son in New Britain. But whether Mr..
Quigley is the last word upon the
subject of sewers, or not, he was this
city's mayor: and since he was con-
fronted by the same problems, which
he was big enough to make a real
effort to solve, his opinions should
be sought. But the highest claim to
the right to be heard is in the fact
that Mr.. Quisley is citizen who is
trying to tell government of citi-
zens. by citizens, ostensibly for citi-
zens. something of value to all
! citizens. The acting Mayor has in
dlcated that the business of the pub
lie Is to pay and not to say. Not long
ago, In another matter then before
the public the Mayor asked why
popular action was not commenced
before money had been appropriate
ed. indicating that the city govern
ment might have listened had such
been the case; but now, there looms
before us, the very attitude to which
at that time adverted, ITO He'll
with the Public" II We try to tell the
Council what we want, in time, the
| Council informs us that, What We
do Is none OF your business" but If
we are late. that Is the excuse.
At that time I pointed out that
our charter has no provision per-
hitting citizens to direct their gov
eminent, and seems irresistably
drawn towards large public expendi-
lures, despite public need, and pub
lie protest. We sometimes wonder
II all Is as 1t should be. If the city
should be so fortunate as to sell the
100000 sewer bonds at per cent
the interest alone would be $4,000
a year. Should these bonds be pay
able In forty years, which would be
a reasonable time for their retire
ment this would mean the payment
on principal Of $4,000 per year.
With interest the total payment
would be $4,000 or about l LIS
mills on the present grand list. II
the Water department issues s5,-
100000 In water bonds for improved
water supply which is felt by some
citizens to be necessary at this time,
the water rates with interest on the
said bonds, and bond payments, will
cause the water rates to be increased
| to such an amount as to render
them almost .prohibitive. 1 hear
| many who feel that the above aues-
tons have not been sufficiently con-
| sldered to warrant such expense, es-
pecially the question OF sewage dis
| posal. Experts declare that, until a
satisfactory solution of the factory
| sewage, with all its chemicals, IS
found, an expenditure of $4,000, 900
saddled on to the city would be an
| injustice. without relieving the sit
uation. 1t is more and more appar-
ent that we should endeavor to re-
| instate, in our charter, that clause
! which enables citizens, In times of
need. to have an effective voice In
| our own public affairs; and we
should religiously oppose all So
| called machine politics. To those
who will take the trouble to think
a minute about this matter it will
| not be difficult to see the direction
IN which we are drifting.
GEORGE V. HAMLIN,