New Britain herald., 1928-04-14
THE OBSER YER. Makes Random Observations
 On the City an0 Its People

the last campaign will furnish con- Nersational material for many a day. Political campaigns are always re- plete with odd situations and humor- GUS incidents. In this respect the biennial election of this year was no exception.
 The first man to announce his candidacy for mayor was found to be voter in another city and at the time Of his announcement was not even privileged to vote here to say nothing of presiding over the high | est office of the government. He is Henry A. smith who came right up l to the starting tape and then as un- tremendously as he entered the ! lnayoral race, withdrew. Smith was ! made a voter here on the day peti- 1 tions of candidacy were to be filed. He was an avowed candidate up to the day he had that privilege under | the law, then when he could have fulfilled the requirements of his party he chose to withdraw.
 smiths campaign for the mayors chair was one of the two which fail | cd 10 materia1iZe. J. R. Alice walk cd for the office but primary re- quirements sent him on a. political | tour from which he found it inn ]! possible to return in time to be l elected. Alice, self-styled president of the Third Ward Republican club, i also its secretary, treasurer and eX- cCutivc committee, who has also as 1 sumed the title of Unofficial Advis- err to the city officials of New Britt l ain, was fusion party candidate. 1 He offered" himself to the electors l on both the republican and demo- cratic tickets. On primary day he attempted to vote for himself. but | his ballot was rejected. No demo- Crats gave him a Note and there his campaign ended.
 The case of T. Clay Cavanaugh, who insists he is the town clerk elect is still in the air, with Cavanaugh planning to go before the corporation cath of office, this in spite of the fact that Alfred l.. Thompson has hecn officially declared elected, and , in defiance of q threat of election and possible arrest. He will then assume physical control of the office, he says. Cavanaugh voted for an ether democrat for tax collector and is of the opinion that his selection Tor that office is also entitled to take the oath and collect the emoluments of office after next Tuesday. The Observer has been authorized 10 say without fear of contradiction that there will be no tax collector with out portfolio meandering about the department supervised by Bernadotte Loomis next Tuesday. What the out come of the Cavanaugh program will be. is not difficult 10 forecast.
 During the rush to get out as many new voters as possible, a representa- tive of one of the parties called for d man whose name was on the list
 'to be made" But a few minutes remained to take the electors oath
 The prospective voter was only part ly dressed and had on house slip
 pers, but he was told he would be
 driven to the door of city hall and
 Whiskel home within a few minutes
 A long oycrcoat took the place of
 the most conventional apparel. and
 the house slippers were allowed tG
 serve aS footgear. on the way tC city hall, the passenger dropped a
 remark giving away his politica
 preference. It was not that of the driver and representative of the DO litical party that had the car in use When the newly admitted votel walked out of city hall that evening there was no car waiting for hlln and pulling !n his oyercoat he walk ed home.
 Although fire department working 1 hours were so arranged that ever.
 man could vote last Tuesday, one o
 the younger members of the depart [ ment called for an automobile t' [ transport him to the polls. this il spite of the fact that it was but
 few minutes walk. It was after
 wards learned that this member 0 s the department was the one Wh' = sought two weeks employment las { January after being informed by jok X ing members of the force that tn
 fire department was going to clos s down for the first two weeks of Jan 0 uary for inventory.
 = One public official who has been
 candidate for his office but once. wa = approached during the campaign D 7 d doun-and- outer who prefaced hi
 request for the price of 'coffee an
 -" with a remark: "l shoul
 know you we'll enough, voted fo
 you several times" He was re
 minded that each clector is allowe
 10 vote butt once at any election an
 voting several times is an ofIens
 which might mean Atlanta. How
 ever. he was successful in makin
 the touch.
 A prominent party worker was aI
 preached by a young man VII
 claimed to have wide political 1T
 nuence and who placed himself ;
 the party's disposal 10 get Notes pro
 yjded a car large enough to at
 commodate several passengers coul
 be furnished He was asked Wher
 he wished to go for the voters. an
 he replied: "Plainville. Southingto and Mcridcn." Asked if they wei voters in New Britain, he replle negatively, and he expressed gre; surprise when informed that such condition is required by the law. Whichever party may have r ceivcd your vote at Tuesdays ele' ton and whatever resulting oplnlt of the outcome you may hold, V
 have less than no doubt at all r f- garding tour view of this angle >. the balioting: it was a better ele'
 ton than the one they staged
 C';c"go. In case you do not unde