New Britain herald., 1928-06-05
This C|TY'S MAYOR
IS ALL.P0WERFUL
Queley Says His Authority Ez.
CeedS Other Executives

inc to Former Mayor George A.
Cluigley. who next week will be
elected president Of the Lions club.
at meeting Of the club at noon
today.
The statement was made in con-
nection with O. debate between two
ex-mayors. George A. Quigley and
Joseph NJ. Halloran, at the regular
Tuesday luncheon of the club at the
Burritt hotel. Past President Harry
G. Hancock Of the Lions club was
In charge OF the program.
There were a number OF men
prominent in municipal life present
to hear the arguments. among them
Mayor A. NJ. Paonessa, Councilman
Donald Bartlett. Alderman William
H. Judd. Dugald Mcmillan, Harold
Hatch. DR.. W. 7. Morrissey, David
Mahoney and Francis G. Kelly,
cashier of the City National bank
member Of the board of finance and
taxation.
Mr.. Hancock announced that the
subject of the debate was. "Resolv-
ed, that the interests of the city Of
New Britain can best be served by
substituting the city manager sys-
tenn in place Of the present form Of
government"
Mr.. Halloran spoke for the affirm
form is more modern form for any
type Of governm He read an
editorial from a. daily newspa per.
hich he said was an Indictment Of
The form similar to that used in
New Britain. The editorial charac-
torized politics as disease or a MR.
cotic. The longer the real politi-
clan INDUCES In the game Of poll
tics the greater its hold or him. ac-
cor1ing TO the editorial which called
politics an anaesthctic to the con-
science OF the professional politi-
clan.
He spoke Of the rapid growth OF
the American city and of the great
influx OF people from other nations.
government which required I'M
proved methods, he explained.
He said the political standards OF
the future will be determined by
the cities, and if popular govern
ment fails in the cities, the future
Of political democracy is dead.
He called attention to the fact
that a man who runs a clothing
store can and did become mayor OF
New Britain. and that a real estate
agent can and did become mayor
He said there was no personal re
Election on the men, but that New
Britain is hundred million dolls
corporation and the system Is
wrong. No business would be sue.
cessful il it selected Its active head
by the same system as New Britain
selects its mayors" he stated. Ht
said the police and fire Department.
should be operated the same as pri
waite corporations. and under thi:
plan the taxpayers would receive az
dividends additional service for thu
money they pay
Mr.. Quigley stated that there
was little difference between the
present system and the city man
ager plan. He explained that In
city manager plan the common
council hires the manager, who ar
points the heads OF commissions
who in turn engage their own en-
ployees with the approval of The
city manager.
In New Britain. he said, thu
mayor is elected by the people anc
not hired by the council. He sale
the mayor might be a real estat'
dealer, 4 clothing merchant or h
might sell automobiles or coal. bu
he was closer to the people thai
. hired manager.
4 hired manager. he said. woul'
divorce tho people from active par
ticipation In the city government.
The old town meeting Of a few
years ago, he said, was an exampl
Of how close the city officials cal
get to the people. They cannot d.
his, he animated. with q city man
ager form. In the old town meet
ing. he said, the men who had T.
pay the bills were the ones VIII
decided what improvements wer
to be made.
II hate crooked politics." h
Numbered. but we'll have crooke,
politics II We remove the participa
ton In government from the people
The mayor of New Britain la
more power than any other mayo
In the state OF Connecticut, withou
the approval of city councils. TIL
city manager must be subordinat
to the council. The mayor is direct
ly responsible to the people. TIL
city manager Is responsible to tn
council. There are 5000 municipal
ties In the country. Of which onl
2ls are Of the city manager typ
after Is years OF experiments.
If you want true democracy e.
YOUR people interested in the cit
government. Graft ridden govern
ments can be laid at the door of tn
people themselves. The people en
courage graft by their indifference.
New Britain has never had a mayo
accused Of dishonesty and we don
want to change TO a system that
open 10 criticism
In rebuttal MIR. Halloran said h
was glad 10 learn that the New Brit
ain mayor was a. city manager i
everything but name. and suggeste
that the name Of the Office be chang
ed to conform to the nature of tn
job. He referred to the election G
president of the United State