Litchfield enquirer., 1876-11-23
q Reform Legislature ?

The turn of affairs which has given the Republican party control of the Connecti- cut Legislature gives it, an opportunity to show whether Hayes and Reform" is anything more than an electioneering cry. Our tenure of power, with 8 popular ma jority of 1000 against us, and a majority of only one in the Senate, will certainly be brief unless we show that we deserve to have it continued. What is there then which needs to be done by really Re- form legislature in Connecticut
 I. Persons of both parties in earnest for reform have long felt the need of some legislation that shall, as far as possible, depose partisanship from the control of municipal affairs. Our whole scheme of town administration by boards of officers is one that is specially adapted to reform by minority representation. It is absurd that mere majority should choose every selectman, every grand juror, every as sessor, every constable, every member of the board of relief Are not the 300 Re- publicans of Litchfeld entitled to two out of five selectmen, leaving the 36O Democrats three Out of thirty town officers is not minority of 45 per cent entitled to one :? Yet under the present ar- engagement less than 55. per cent of our voters choose five selectmen. seven con- stables, six grandiurors, five assessors, and all the five members of our board of relief Gan we wonder that the result of so unjust system is a display of petty partisansh;p at every Little Town Meet ing in the State, and division of the meagre spells of innumerable town offices among hungry maiorities, to the entire exclusion of large minorities? In occa- sional towns the desire for fair play and good local government will concede few offices, for few years, to mlnorities. Then comes wave of political excitement, and the partisans again get control of af- fairs. and elect ''straight" tickets. Here in Litchfield county, where the increase of the foreign vote is gradually undermining the Republican power that once controlled majority of our towns, the need of this reform is felt with peculiar force, and the majority of Republican representatives we were lucky enough for once to elect. should vote for it to man.
 1.-The Democratic House of Repre- sentatives, last summer, were generous enough to recognize the right of tax pay ing women to vote. Is not the Republi can party willing to go further. to be as just to woman as it was to the negro, and pass the bill that was blocked by few votes in the Democratic Senate?
 III Our excellent license law needs some strengthening to make it fully effec' tive. In one point. particularly. it is no' tably defective: Towns voting no license cannot make any provision for the legal sale of spirituous liquors for mechanical and medicinal purposes within their linn it's Under the old prohibitory statute this necessity was met by allowing the ap pointment of town agents. Why not ado a similar provision to our present statute
 IV.-Under existing laws, or at leas under our practice under those laws there is a conflict of authority regarding the control of jails This should be givel absolutely to the sherifs; or, it should b. taken from them and given to the board of county commissioners. We have oftel adverted to the anomaly in this county o jail run at the private expense and t the private profit of the sheriff. Gu county commissioners, while protestini against such practice, have claimed tha existing laws did not give them power t. reform it. In the present House of Rep resentatiyes there are three gentleman from this county-Messrs. Baldwin o New Milford, Gutter of Watertown, an' Brooks of Goshen, who have held tn office of county commissioner. and who, VI trust. will give this matter especial atten tion.
 There are other matters that will deserv the attention of a Reform legislature. t which we shall take occasion to refer here after. hoping that the next legislatiy session will be characterized by some thing better than the usual scramble fo small offices which has generally de moralized Connecticut legislatures.