Litchfield enquirer., 1868-04-30
The Next Legislature.

&AS NSXt ASSlSlature.
 On Wednesday the new Legislature com mences its session. It is one >of unusual importance. In addition to the choice ot U. 5. Senator and Judge of the Supe rior court, three great questions not prop eriy political, are to be acted upon-the bridging of the Connecticut, Education and Prohibition. There are many things in tae example of the old Legislature which we would not wish to see initiated by the new. A more arrogant set of Democrats. or meeker set of Republicans, were never seen in one Assembly than in the Legisla- tare Of 1867. The Democracy claimed eve rything and got about half; they were fili- bustering~nd seeding while we were nom. mating Democrat for the Judgeship, and killing the Normal School. The Forty Thieves (more or less) applied for restor- atlon Of forfeited rights and they were re- habilitated in such terms as furnished Democratic Boards an excuse for admitting Q them this spring to the privilege of voting the Democratic ticket! Upon this ssOpen Sesame" we have no doubt the Legislature blundered unintentionally, exactly as it biundered unintentionally upon a repeal of the Poll Tax. Our Republican leaders seemed to act throughout upon the idea that by sharing the spells with their adver- saries. they could share the responsibility.
 In the first place the Senate should take the appointment of its own committees. Such is the mode of the U. S. Senate and 1t is the only sensible plan. The Commit tes ofa House are its natural leaders. and tney should be from the majority and ac. ceptable to the majority. It is an absurd mistake to allow Democratic Iieut Gov. ernor to select the leaders of a Rennb,;can Senate.
 By far the most important of the ouas. tons before the Legislature. this va.r os H seems to us, is that of Education. We must retrieve the backward step of last summer. and, if possible, make m ad. vance. It is upon intelligence thst Inc party of progress must rely for success The proportion of foreign-born popula- 'lon IS yearly increasing on us, and, unless the second generation is made mucb w;sor than the first that party is hopelessyv sWasnped- Nor is the desire for an excei- lent system of popular education confnea 10 either party. An honest partisan al- ways believes that better information would convert nearly every one to his way of thinking; and as the honest partisans are vast majority in every State in the ITn- son, the cause of education never wants interested friends. From all we can learn connecticut IS far behind adjoining States m this great matter, and We hope vet to saa the tune when, here, as in Massachusetts in the great majority of our towns the public schools shall be the best schools good enough to attract the best class of pupils. Now, We are sorry to say, in many localities respectable native-born citizen would almost as soon send his father to the public poor-house, as his son to the public school-house.
 We do not think the last legislature can be justly blamed for not acting upon the matter of Prohibition. We were all wait ing for the result in Massachusetts. This result has been fatal to the law. in a State where Temperance is infinitely stronger than in Connecticut. Our prohibitionists must sec that they cannot have all they want; but they can have something, where as. now, they have nothing. If there are towns in which the law can still be enforced, let towns be empowered to pass special Maine Bye-Laws, and thus keep up the re- strictiOn wherever it is possible. Practi- caIly, there IS now no restraint upon the sale of liquor except the U. S. License law. We believe that the greatest injury to so- briety is accomplished by little dram shops. A small groggery, started in an agricultu- ral district, does infinite harm to that class, too numerous in every community, who must lounge somewhere and who naturally combine lOunging with tippling. SubOrdinately. these groggeries are an in jury to the Republican party. They are ssminaries of Conservatism, where men are tanght to hate the nigger," and they turn out Democratic voters much faster than the tumble-down common school house turns out Republicans What we need is heavy license to cauterize these smaller plague spots, and confine the traffic to larger and more reputable dealers. The sooner such a law is enacted the better We believe it could be enforced, for the community here abouts. at least. are heartily tired of the Free Rum our present statutes encourage.