The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-08-04


 invasion of the income tax.
 He can't back out of the net. He is in 1t. When person is led into a confession, he's got new hold. That is because he is in the protec- tion of the court. He, started to make perjured statements-dramatic details that entered into what he had to say; he wasn't satisfied to make up lie to the effect that this conversation as it took place was in a private office. He wasn't satisfied to say that when he got down to Leary's private office he sat there. Oh,. no, it is lie and he's got to make 1t as dramatic as he could to build 1t up. And he adds details until the whole thing-in my oplnion-is absolutely unbelievable. l want to remind you of few more things that occurred in 1883 which have very distinct bearing In this case.
 Banks Closed
 am sure that you need no help in recalling the statements am about to mention. Every bank in the country was closed in 1883; there wasn't bank open. Practically all the factories in the United States were at standstill. Men were out of work-thousand of them-prac- tically no one working. The fed- eral agencies placed the burden of relief on the towns and cities-cities the size of Waterbury. Thousands of people were not working. And relief work jumped by leaps and bounds. In 1884, MT. Alcorn says, most Of the contractors reached their peak. There was so much unemployment that people who had been able to support themselves had to be put to work. In 1894 the federal agen- cies were starting to take over and what they did take up was in the nature of paying wages, and 1t was the duty of the towns and cities to hire equipment. The city, as a matter of fact, was entering into a new business.
 Putting People to Work
 The business of putting to work thousands of unemployed whom the factories had let go. don't think there was much rest when they started that new business, but l do think that is the picture for the ex- pansion and cost of equipment and truck hire, for the cost of material and supplies. Cities all over the country-not only Waterbury - all cities and towns were trying to put their men to work and they were building-building. Men were build ing things which they did not need and they all expanded more large ly than they would have. But that wasn't the questionable question of putting people to work, giving them something to do. They were put to work in Waterbury and they couldn't work with nothing.
 They've got to have equipment and supplies. The Federal Govern ment contributed wages; the cities had to furnish equipment. You may say-it has been said-that it would have been cheaper in the long run if they had >rst put all these peo- pie on dole. Maybe it would have been. I don't know; we will never know. But we do know this. It was the sentiment of the people that it was much more advantageous for the people of any country, of any state, to be y to work, even If for little wages. Waterbury wasn't alone in this. Everyone did it.
 That wasn't job for the state but the people of the City of Wa terbury of their own choice. That was the situation they had to meet. It was forced upon them and they made the decision as all cities made the decision: to be put to work no matter what might be the material cost. It was the situation which they | had to meet and which they did l meet at the time, no matter how | much you may think other courses of action would have been more ad- visable. That condition prevailed from 1884 even to 1889. The burden of 1884 reached it's peak. Is 1t any wonder in January of 1885 that they were interested in property tax? It had to be carried on. The tax rate was lowered and they had to finance the projects Some body had to decide what to do about it. Who was to decide? Officials of the City of Waterbury. It was their duty and their obligation They found another situation. Whe- ther you like it or not, there is no question from the fact that If you want to put bills through, you had to have good men to watch them, And every bill they watched went the way they wanted. But 1t was there. They had to do what they could.
 Lobbyists Hired
 They then hired lobbyists. The people wanted the work done and they did the best they could. And the charter authorized them to hire lobbyists. MT, Leary had nothing to do with the lobbying and they did have to pay The bond issue they wanted to get through and they did get 1t through. The boys were showing them what they could do. They did it. There was nothing