Litchfield enquirer., 1878-02-14
Legislative Items.

Anou' oA JuuSos " tno OOfeTnOI, SuDJecG Io dp- proval by the Senate. There can be DO worse mode ot appointment hanthepresent. Among the obvious objections to the existing methods are these the employment of strong Hobbies to push candidates for judgeships; the trading of, and 'log-rolling," of judicial with other legislative appointments; the decision of so important matter, not in full legislature, but in party caucuses Another practical objection, not quite so obvious. is the immense advan- tage given candidates who happen to be at the time members of legislature. A little law goes B great way in that body. Only few first rate lawyers and sometimes only second-rates, are ever members at the same time. Hence their position gives those who are there an un- due prominence in the unskilled eyes of non professional fellow members, and they often get judicial offices for which their qualifca- lions are very slender, from the mere fact of their presence ih the legislature. A governor, on the other hand, is apt to be frst-rate law yer himself, and even if he is not; he can easi- y and quietly advise with. those who are We heartily wish Gov. Hubbard, Democrat as he $, could be given power to appoint a judicia- y. It would offer an immense. improvement ,n some at least of the legislature-made
 judges now on the bench.
 There is another reason why good judges Ire hard to get at, with existing methods. Peo- 'le are seldom given legislative appointments lnless they Ego for" them, as the slang of the lay aptly expresses it. The hrst-rate lawyer will not Ego for" Superior Court judgeship. He would be obliged to sacrifice self-respect as we'll as lucrative practice to gain the position. Governor might, however, persuade him to
 ccept what he could never bring himself to sk of party caucus.
 There was a lively debate in the House, last week., on the question of giving depositors con- rol of Savings Banks. The committee were opposed to the proposition, and the objection vas urged that it would inevitably throw the of these organizations into the
 ands of capitalists. Gallagher made pow rful appeal for allowing depositors to elect at east a minority of their governing boards. The House evidently had some sympathy with
 i'm, for the bill was ordered printed by vote f 81 to 79.
 Senator Bowers, and others, seem to be af- CT the Insurance Commissioner pretty sharply The resolution inquiring when the Charter Oak nd Continental difficulties first came to the
 of MT. Stedman, seems particularly to stir up that sleepy official.
 One of the bills introduced, last week, pro-
 ides that after defendant has suffered de- ault, the hearing on damages should be before jury and not by the judge alone. The de- ign of thls bill is to reach favorite trick of
 in suffering 8 default and then rying the case as to amount of damages be- ore the court. Practically judges are as much co easy with corporations as juries are too
 ard.
 A novel bill was presented, last week, by Ar. Warner, of Cornwall, making it felony or any married man to directly or indirectly epresent himself to be unmarried for the pur- ose of gaining the affections of any woman Tithin this state. Suppose some gay Goshen usband is detained here over night on probate usiness. May he not venture into a church sociable without wearing ome such placard as HI. N, MARRIED!!!" ) rebut the presumption that his presence mong us is felonious?
 The proposition to pay off members in silver oin, which the State could buy at quite sav- E, ought to be acceptable to Mir. Gallaher
 The bill offered by MT. Warner of Cornwall sducing the fee for common declarations to 75 ts. strikes us favorably. The good old ac- on of book debt, concise and yet comprehen.
 we, was the common writ of our fathers, yas but 90 cents for such declaration, and opies were only 25 cents each. Now ''com- I lon assumpsit" is the only form of declaration sed in such cases; and, being printed and axed by the page, it has been padded out with llsorts of common counts" only useful to in- rease the cost of the lawyers declaration and he officers copies The abuse is not an normous one. but it costs the debtors of Con-
 ecticut great many thousand dollars year.
 The woman suffragists are before the legisla. ure with bill allowing tax-paying woman to 'ote at town elections. No reason has ever ret been given for the refusal of this plain fight. A similar bill has once passed form
 1T House of Representatives, and the measure lad majority in its favor in last years lower House. We hope so obvious demand of jus ice will be no longer neglected.
 The railroad committee has the subject of watered stock under consideration, this week. May they make thorough work where, here
 ofore, matters have been invariably siighted.
 The reception of new bills ceased, last week. l63 petitions, 334 bills, and 197 joint resolu- ions have been received and referred. Last year, there had been reeeived when new busi- ness was cut off, 161 petitions, S92 bills, and l93 joint resolutions. 1t must be remembered that, at that time, only six months had expir- ed since the rising of the legislature of '76. We doubt whether there would be anything ike dossksiag Of new business with biensial 'essions Of aegts&e&4e. 4 careful business saes 0see tod ss tsst be generally delayed asssess Gs bssst week and that 1t sss astonishing h0w p1any would not then sssd sny answering. Would not this expe- r1eBce apply to the matter of biennial sessionsp
 HAMPERS contains: State and Society in Washington l21 illustrations Doubt; Sum- mer Schools (11 illus. ), Old Flemish Masters, I, Quentin Matsys(5 illus ); Matches Morgani- tic (3 Illus. In Alsatia, Poem by R. H. stod- dard; Fres-sawing and Wood Carving CT Illus). Grand Manan and Quoddy Bay (1s Illus. ]; Ma1desd of Dare (continued1 by Wm.