New Britain herald., 1928-02-18

New Britain is alive. vitally alive aftes months during which geSesn Msat a&tair1 proceeded enoothll aisag tAstr esurss. With the sud' Avaneas os Paul RsveFs's alarm. tn tsx rats question has come to thu fess and. like m alarm 1t is srous' ine ths veter&
 WAea the common council yetet to reject the budgst prepared tAs beard es finance end tsxation. | establisAsd . situation uDaaus In th< ct&y'a history. Not since the oo0ncil received authority about five year. sso to sxprsss the last word on the budeet hes tt assumed the prerosa. tive ef rejecting . finance boer( recommendation eu this subject And for the ftrst time the board and the council refuses to adopt its recom- mendatisn. Further delay was avoid. cd when the council took final ac- tion instead of sending tho report back ts the board because now the die tg cast.
 Advocates of . smaller council claim that their attitude has been justified by the attendance at the meeting Thusday night. Each ward is supposed to bs represented by one alderman and four councilmsn. Only 17 wers present at the meeting in spite of the fact that 1t was the most important of tho year. Appar- ently the members of the body do not take their responsibilities sert- ously. It was no credit to the demo- cratic party that out of its ten rep- ressntatives only three put in an ap- pAarance. The seven who were ab- sent as well aa tho aix republicans who were among the missing ahould be aA,eed to explain to their constttu- snts. Regardless of their convictions on tho tax rate question. they should have been there to answer tho roll call.
 Tie dispute over the budget is almost e hectic as the disagreement at . town meeting several years ago which resulted in the organization of the Taxpayers' League in which the late P. 6. McMahon and Isadore si- mons were active. Those were the town meeting days when every vfrile citizen could go to the meetin' and get off his chest any particular grievance he was carrying there. The famous town meeting referred to was held at the state armory on Arch street. It h doubtful whether such a large crowd ever jammed its way into the hall before or after that date although the republican caucus at which Orson F. Curtis and George A. Quigiey opposed each other for the mayoralty nomination was almost as we'll attended. The cit- ixens were in an ugly mood. When F. .. Chamberlain, who waa then city treasurer and chairman of the board of finance and taxation, read the budget, many present expressed their diAapproval. There was a de- mand for lower taxes and the budg- ct would not allow of a reduction. It was impossible to take a vote on any project. The crowd roared just as the fans at roller hockey games roar at Referee Sl Mcdonald when he tries to make an announcement. Several in attendance attempted to mako speechesA As fast as they stood up they were howled down. There was neither rhyme no reason in what the voters were doing but they proceeded to work out their salvation in their own particular way. Amendments to the budget were made and drowned out in a wave of shouting. What had started as an orderly meeting soon devel- oped into an uncomfortable dispute between factions. The meeting broke up in general disorder after the chairman, in order to prevent a con- tinuation of the disorders, declared the budget had been carried. There were yells of anger, but to no avail.
 This meeting was the mother of the city meeting board. It was said that the city was too large for the old style town meeting. Perhaps the politicians realized that they could no longer hope to exert control as they had been wont to do. The city meeting beard functioned in desul- tory manner for several years and then lapsed into what Mir. Taft ono. called innecuous desuetude. The charter was changed again and the city meeting board was dropped out the window.
 At present the citizens have no opportunity. in a mass, to express theis convictions on the tax rate. They have delegated their authority to the board of finance and taxation. which takes its job seriously as rule, and to the common council. How seriously the council takes its job may be determined by the at tendance at the meeting Thursday night. Perhaps another charter change which would allow the vot- CTS to gather for the purpose of air ing their ideas is desirable.
 The leader of the orchestra re- moved the violin from under his chin, the musicians sat back for 6 rest and the dancers returned to their tables. Up to the leader otter- ed a male person who had mixed 'em often but not wisely.
 Say. let me play that thing the next number, will you?" he asked. T used to be able to handle the fiddle and I've got q gal here I'd like to make a hit with. Whadda y Say. let me-"
 Sorry old man. but it's against the house rules. The boss tells me I'm being paid for it and l can't let anyone else substitute"
 The foregoing dialogue can be heard in almost any night club al- most any night. When the ginger ale and cracked ice begin 10 get in their effect, someone is certain to go over to the leader and ask per-