The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-04-06

sationai advance in Auburn auto and further sharp breaks in a var. iety of individual issues, trading on the stock exchange attracted little attention in the initial session of the week to-day.
 Steel common was forced to Q new low ground for the year at one time but later rebounded, while ra- ther severe selling was met by Col that the time after the November collections are made and posted to the end of the calendar year, with the holidays intervening, is very short. Up to that time the collec- tor Is practically only a receiver, and his actual forcing in of unpaid taxes will begin about January first, this plan giving about four months of actual collection before the time of ascertaining the deficit for which provision must be made.
 8. Some changes are n.ade in the comptroller's powers. He cannot, without showing good reason, es- cape from buying from the lowest bidder by specifying certain makes or brands.
 g. No bonds can be. sold until an
 
 upoh the estimated requirements for the particular undertaking for which the bonds are sold, and the bonds so sold shall not exceed such estimate.
 More Power For Mayor
 "All these changes or nearly all of them are in the interest of con- centratfng the responsibility in the hands of the mayor, and I think that nearly all of them will appeal to the thinking voters and taxpay-- CTS of Waterbury.
 "As for referendum in June. should be opposed to such action for two reasons. In the first place, it will be fairly expensive proposi- tion and think the money can be used to better advantage, the relief of unemployment being one of the things for which the money can be spent. ,..s,
 "The Charter Commissions recon mendations and actions have cost us well up toward $1O0,000 already. and it rather seems as though enough had been spent in that di- rection. Moreover, as look over the Charter Commissions proposed charter there are great many things in 1t that are unavoidable. The time is pretty short for me to specify them, but there are a num- Der of recommendations both from the practical and legal standpoints that hardly think were ever made after considerable thought and ex- animation by those who were ac- quainted with the laws or the prac- tices which govern the administra- tion of cities in Connecticut.
 Referendum In October
 If a referendum is wanted at the October election, should not feel very badly about it, with the under standing that the new Charter com- missions recommendations should not go into effect. until the expira- tion of the next term of the mayor to be elected in October, which will give the agents of the city and the general assembly reasonable time these difficulties and deficiencies.
 Loss Of Party System
 "Of course, it is often said that the administration of a city, of a state or of the country should be free from partisanship and that the pre- sent party system should be done away with. There is another thought which ought to be given careful consideration in connection with this. We all know how the systems of government in Europe and in all most all the countries of the world, in South America, and likewise in other places, are rapid- ly crumbling, and the tendency is toward the adoption of dictator ship which means practically the entire destruction of democratic form of government. that is, a gov ernment of the people, by the people and for the people. How far we want to go in this direction is a very serious question.
 Clique Control Inevitable
 Every step which takes away the right of the people to govern them selves is one step more toward ab- solute control of the government by a small clique or perhaps by one man, as obtains just now in many of the various countries of the world. It is certainly a very serious question as to whether the taking away of the right of the people to govern themselves is a wise and sensible thing. It is an entire change of policy from that which has been carried out in our republic since it's and one to which every body should give considerable and careful thought
 "I know that there Is a tendency all over the world just now to i'm trust the government to one or two men. Whether the people are too indifferent to take upon themselves the responsibility of slf-government or whether they feel that this should be done by experts is beside the question. The fundamental and serious thinking which ought to be done by everybody is whether or not in the long run this Is the wise policy. know that it has been the policy which has been followed by nations in the world in the past. but 1t has in every case resulted in. their final overthrow and the com plete destruction of the civilization which they represented. ss
 Thoughtful Consideration Needed
 "So 1t Is worth while to consider very thoughtfully whether such a plan as that recommended by the Charter Commis ission should be adpp- ted by the people of this city. It simply means that we say we can not govern ourselves and want someone to do it for us. If we take up these recommendation and adopt this proposed charter, 1t Is going to be very. very difficult to get rid of 1t. AsfI read the charter and its administrative code, 1t can not be changed for five years in any event unless for few minor addi- tions which might be made by four fifths' vote of the city council, but any other change. no matter how slight. even i'm the administrative features of the code. can be made only by the general assembly. It will be very difficult to get rid of this charter and get back to a sys- tenn of self-government in case. we wish to. and the administrative code is so absolutely. complete and dicta- torial that in a great many cases