The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-09-21
Man On 7he Street"
Reporter Meets Up With Chap Whom He Has Been Quoting-Discovers Independent Demo- crats Would Have to Cut Bremen, Policemen to
 Pay Their Own Salaries. ...

"Something to chew thoroughly before digesting," said the mah on the street. Campaign promises are, after all, campaign promises. And g record is @ record, for all that"
 The comment, slightly on the Studious side despite the common cliches which become @ readers bete noir at this political season, was made today under the shadow of the Press club. The inquiring reporter from The Democrat was holding private debate over the advisability of seeing a doctor about a cold.
 Something Wrong
 "You take the figures Senator Culhane gave the public, about the $54,000,000 that he said the mayor had to play ball with, and then you take the figures of the city comptroller and what have you?" the man on the street de- inanded. "1'll tell you what you have" he answered himself abruptly. Someone is not stick ing to the truth"
 Surprise. Oh, great intellect. Can 1t be possible that here Is that representative voter who will decide on a matter of government two weeks from today? These were some of the inquiring re- porter's thoughts, lightly held as the subconscious insisted on the previous engagement about the cold. It was in the head, you know. and the smiles were. .
 Political Attack
 "Of course, Daniel J. Leary couldn't afford to give figures that weren't right" pondered the font of knowledge in monologue. His figures are public property and they have to check or else the auditors have 1t. MT. Cul- hane was just making a political attack"
 Bright boy" murmured the re- porter.
 That part N'here MT. Culhane said that the tax rate was high and MT. Leary showed that the tax was low in the sense that 1t had been brought from 42 mills to 3l and a half since 1922 in spite of a $6,0o0,000 reduction in the grand list Now what do you think?"
 "Well," hedged the reporter.
 Don't you agree that we have e fine police department with an enviable safety record, efficient fire department, an excellent school system, good health de- partment, prosperity ."
 Say, who are you, anyhow" demanded the reporter. You sound like the mirror of my thoughts, or something. I'm lock- ing for a contrary opinion so there'll be two sides. And now you take over my side of the question Just who and what are you2"
 I'm the man on the street you've been writing about" re- sponded the man. And I'm going to vote, too."
 The reporter watched his pros- pect stepping briskly around the corner of South Main street.
 Paging Mir. UpsOn
 "Now if l could just run across J. Warren Upson, John F. Tobin, or Andrew J. Cooney," he sighed. They would have plenty to say about MT. Leary's talk on the ra. dio. It might not all be printable. But, politics is politics, I guess. Everyone can't be right and say what he really thinks"
 Let's see. He said that the city had an income of about 96,00O, 900 and nearly $2,000,0 900 went to the schools. about $2,000, 900 more for police and fire departments and health, about @ million to retire bonds and pay interest the rest for public works, such as paving, parks and the recreation pro- grams for the children The repOrter was in Q huddle with the
 financial statement.