The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-09-10
Mayor Hayes Seeks Support of Electorate on Administration s Record of Achievement

The text of Mayor Frank Hayes speech of acceptance of the Democratic nomination for mayor last night is as follows: MT. Chairman and Fellow Demo-
 cratS:
 'The delegates to the city con- vention have done me the honor of renominating me for mayor on the Democratic ticket. accept with pleasure and with a sense of appreciation because have been given the privilege once more of leading our party to victory. I pledge every effort of which am capable to bring about that vic- tory.
 q am honored also by being associated with the candidates who have been chosen for the other places on the ticket. They have been selected in strict ac- cordance with accepted democra- tic party procedure. have known them all as Democrats for a long time, and a longer time as friends and co-workers. Their loyalty 10 the party has been unqualified. The quality of their friendship is unsurpassed.
 "But aside from these charac- acteristics there is something else. which in servants of the public, demands public recognition. 1t is the honest, painstaking, un- prejudiced service they have given to the people of Waterbury.
 Credit to Community
 T have watched them in the performance of their duties and I can say truthfully that they have carried out the obligations of their respective offices excep- tionally well. They have done so without any consideration of the political utilization of those with whom they have had to deal. With that statement, am sure every fair minded citizen must agree. Their aim, and their achievement, has been first and last to give ungrudging service to all the peo- pie of Waterbury without fear or favoritism. They are 8 credit to the community and lit is an honor to be on the same ticket with them.
 while I am on the subject of candidates, I would like to em- phasize one point. We are going to the voters as nominees of the Democratic party. We are not concerned with the nominees of any other party. It is the right of every party to pick its own ticket without suggestion or ad- vice or censure from anyone out side that party. We are con- testing this election as Democrats and we will conduct the campaign as Democrats. We will refrain, if the choice is permitted us, from unpleasant personalities. We will run for reelection on the record we have made. That rec ord, and nothing else, is the issue in this campaign. The identity, the personality, and the political history of the opposition candi- dates are not issues any more than are the identities, the per- sonalities and the political history of the nominees chosen here to- night. We stand on the record we have made, we are running on the record, and because Of that record we are asking the voters of this city to return us to office.
 Record Sole Issue
 we intend to make this cam paign @ dignified campaign. I have said the record of the ad- ministration is the sole issue be- fore the people. On that issue we propose to wage uor campaign. We hope that nothing will com- pei us to deviate firm that issue. But If the necessity arises from plain speaking in language which everyone may understand, we will be equal to the task.
 For the sake of the good name of the city we respect, the city which without party distinction we wish to see managed ably and well, the campaign will be con- ducted on our side in a way which will reflect the good will and the kindly feelings which are charac- teristic of citizens of Waterbury.
 "In democracy like ours there is bound to be, and should be a difference of opinion about the proper conduct of city, state, and national government. A vigorous, outspoken, and intelligent minor- ity is one of the real safeguards of 8 free people. But the differ ence of opinion must be as to methods of government if 1t is to make for the common good. It should never be expressed in at tacking the imaginary intentions, the presumed purposes, and the good faith of those with whom we differ. No one objects to criticism or to opposition which has a con- structive intent. Everyone objects to baseless, unreasonable fault finding which has for its end only the making of political capital.
 "Of course, there are people who are never satisfied with any thing done by any administra- ton. We do not have to concern ourselves with that type of critic. The voters of the city have shown long ago that they are not to be influenced by this kind of fault finding.
 Again the charge is always made against this administration; that it has wasted the taxpayers money. Let us look at the record as it applies to the street depart ment and see what the so-called waste is.
 Achievements
 Since 1884 we have erected sev- en bridges. We have laid since 1883 over 100000 lineal feet of wa ter mains. We have built more than 50,000 feet of sanitary sewers. We have in the same period built more than 60,000 lineal feet of