New Britain herald., 1929-06-29

baby kissing politician has sone-he is . thing of the past.
 The voting public of today takes an active interest in government and in the officials who conduct It. When campaign days roll around. 1t is usually the candidate who can lay on the table an attractive set of cards who gets the votes.
 This can be illustrated right here in the city of New Britain, munich pality whose voting lists show about three registered republicans for every registered democrat. There ts not a voting district in the city thai has not a greater number of re- publicans than democrats. and the sixth ward. traditionally the demo- cratic stronghold. is no exception. On the face of 1t, 1t would seem that nothing more than the nomination of the republican party should be necessary to insure election to the office of mayor. Yet. in the 10 years which will have elapsed when Mayor Paonessa completes the term he is now serving. the city has had two republican administrations and three democratic.
 Admittedly. Angelo M. Paoncssa came out in 1922 as one of tho strongest candidates the democrats had put forth in some years, this the result of a lengthy period of com mon council service with record or achievements which was attractive In 1924, he faced one of the city'a ablest men, who might ordinarily be pointed to as a sure thing" for the mayoral honors-Judge B. w. AL ling. But when Paonensa's cards were placed on the table. 1t was found that he had given . good ad- ministration and the public was sat- tsfled. It was no reflection or Judge filling. He just didn't have the arguments and . hard-headsd electorate ignored party lines and returned Paonessa. AInost any one of the several other candidates men, ,ioned at the time might have gone down in a political slaughter. Th'' was not the case with filling, WIG made a good showing. He was latei a representative and then 2 sena' torial nomination came his way. thu being set aside when he was put or the state ticket as a candidate fol attorney general, a position in whicf he is now serving his second term
 There is one thing true of tht American voter of today, . condi' ton found not only in New Britain but also in every other city in tho country. It is a type of ficklenes' which causes the defeat of . candt' date when he has come before th' public too frequently in . shor' period of time. It was this situa' tion which caused a rift in the re- publican party after George A Quikley had given the city three terms in the office of mayor and wal defeated for @ fourth when hardl, more could be said than that he Wal becoming . perennial candidate.
 The striking part of the whole thing Is that the electorate picked as his successor, Orson F. Curtis veteran member of the common council and arch-rival of the mar he defeated. The viewpoint taken by Curtis on many of the important issues of the hour was the exact op' posite of that taken by Quigley. and political observers could zee that th' voters in their fickleness has sough about to ind someone . complet' opposite of 0uigley.
 In 1926, Gardner c. Weld, young man who.- excepting for term of office as Councilman. ha no previous political experience wa the nominee of the republican part, Paonessa was seeking . third tern The voters fickleness again entere into the case, and Weld, with littl campaigning turned back the vel eran Paonessa on election day.
 Quigley, acclaimed by the cleo torate three times, only to be defeat ed in his fourth attempt by a cand idate who didn't even bother to con duct a campaign, stands today | stronger man in the eyes of tn voters than he has in many da, If the republican party would see f to forget the past and nominate hir for mayor next spring, they woul have a ticket headed by a stron candidate (of course, it must not b forgotten that Quisley might wish { have something to say about tn nomination and might refuse to hea the ticket of the party that spl
 with him after nominating him
 l922). This is not an attempt
 dictate to the c. o. P. how it shoul
 manage its affairs, but is merely q
 observation on the changing attitud
 of political parties and voters c
 general on public officials. how
 man the politicians could afford
 sidetrack less than 10 years al
 might come back with followir
 that must be reckoned with whe
 the steering committee sits dow
 with the checklist on the table an
 begins to weigh the possibilities
 potential mayors.
 It is . trifle early to prognostica'
 on the outcome of next April's pol
 tical primaries. This much is ce
 tain: There will be no dearth l,
 mayoral aspirants: neither party
 candidate will be able to open h
 campaign speeches with the hacl
 neyed. this office was unsought.'
 The next biennial election vi
 present a case of survival of q
 fttest with the man who presents il most imposing set of arguments .l
 proba ble winner.
 , make very little difference. as Ii , voice was clear anad distinct. Wi | Ian AZ