Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-17
Saruual alt6 Galnifr.
ursday Morning, March 17. 1881.
Local News.
For other Local News see Second Pass.l
At The State Capitol.

At The State Capitol.
 Great Interest in the New Haven Charter Amendments-An Interesting Hearing Before the Committee on Cities and Bor- oughs-Legfslntive Matters of Interest.
 HARTFORD, March 16, 1881. Especial Correspondence of JOURNAL AND CoUR1ER.l The matter of greatest interest to New | Haven parties at the Capitol to-day was the city charter amendments. Every train up | to 2:30 p. m. brought numbers of gentlemen ! from your city who had an interest in the | proposed amendments as suggested by the | ssTuttle" bill and subsequent alterations and changes as proposed by the friends of the I original bill The prompt stand taken by the COURIER against this proposed partisan legislation fell like nitro-glycerine bomb into the camp of it's supporters. When the hearing opened this afternoon Mr. Pickett who appeared for the petition | CTS, called Charles A. Baldwin, ex.Fire Com- missioner of New Haven. Mir. Baldwin said he had held several official positions in New Haven, which he enumerated. In reply to Mir. Pickett he said that the present Mayor Robertson) had turned out Republican con- missioners and put Democrats in their place. He said he had heard Mayor Robert son say since his election that there was one commissioner he would like to keep on the board of commissioners, but he could not do it. On being pressed MT. Baldwin said his honor referred to himself Baldwin,. Con- tinuing the witness said that he thought it would be prejudicial to the interests of the city to put men entirely of one political faith on the commissions. He thought that the general amendments in the so called Futile bill were in the main correct; at all events something should be done to correct present evils. He thought the Republicans should be represented on all of the boards, as he did not believe in taxation without represen- tation. He thought there should be closer supervision of the expenditure of money, and that the lamp department should come under the supervision of the fire department.
 In reply to MT. Stoddard, whether it would not be better to put the charge of the lamps under the control of the police, witness re- piled that he thought not, as there were teams in the fire department that could be used for lamp service. He also said that he did not believe in legislation that would
 
 majority, and he did not understand that this bill did so operate.
 Frederick A. Gilbert, late Police Commis- sioner, was next called. He thought the boards should be non-partisan, and he also favored legislating out the present police force, and he did not think there was any board of police commissioners that could get rid of the inefficient men in any other way. He also favored the choice of the fifth mem Der of the commissions, as provided in the l amendments.
 | William A. Lincoln was called. He said | that when he was in the Council they voted by secret ballot This plan was legislated out by Democratic Legislature. He favored a return to that system. He thought the prop osition in regard to making the commission g partisan was correct one. He said he believed that the Republicans should have a majority on the commissions in every case. l Oaughter.) He thought making the con- missions entirely Democratic would increase the Democratic majority in the city Gaugh- ter.) The trouble in some of the wards on election day was referred to, and he said that | the police did not do their duty.
 In reply to Mir. Stoddard, Mr. Lincoln said he did not know of any Republican who was prevented from voting at the last election, al- though he believed there were many such
 MT. Pickett said he rested at this point
 John W. filling, who appeared with MT. l Stoddard for the remonstrants, called Prof. | Johnson T. Platt He said that there were some features in the proposed amendment that were right. He then referred to the diff ferent positions he had held under the city I nnf and fhn aho l when the non-partisan boards were legislated out. He thought the boards should be pon- partisan. He said he believed that New Ha- ven was as we'll governed as any city in the country. There had never been any scandal in regard to the management of its finances, so far as he knew. He did not think the power should be taken from the city to ap- point it's own executive officers. It was not necessary to go outside of city government to get the fifth man appointed. He thought the Mayor should have the power to nominate the fifth man on the commissions, subject perhaps to the approval of two-thirds of the Board of Aldermen. The other four he would have elected by the Board of Alder men, two from each party. In regard to the police department he said he had not heard any general complaint against the force Nc | doubt there were poor men on the force, but he thought they could be got rid of without leglslating out the entire force. He thought such a course would be demoralizing and would be an injury to the city.
 | Judge Henry E. Pardee was next called He said he sympathized with what had been said, in part, on both sides. He thought the minority should be fairly represented on botl sides. He thought the practical effect of the proposed amendments was to give the Repub icans majority on all of the commissions This he did not consider fair. He believed in fair play in politics in other matters He also opposed that portion which provided | hIofr r~011o l laws to govern elections. He thought there were law makers enough. He said the fiftt or odd man should be the Mayor himself and he should be given the casting vote ir all cases of tie. In regard to legislatine out the police force in order to get rid of the bad ones, he thought the bad ones would be more likely to get back than the good ones He thought there was no trouble to get rio | of the bad men under the present charter | The Judge favored the section which provides for secret ballot for officers in place of | 0i0G 00ce Yote
 Mir. Pickett asked Judge Pardee if it wal not fact that the County Commissioner, had been Democrats quite recently, and were likely to be so again. Judge Pardee re piled that he did not know but that was so but if it should so prove it would not helI matters any. Oaughter).
 l Henry G. Lewis was called. He thought all the commissioners should be appointed by the Mayor. He thought the proposed amend ment to the city charter would create the most bitter partisanship. It would array the Board of Aldermen against each other politi cally and injure the city's best interests 1T every way. Then again the County Commis sioners to whom it was proposed to give the power to appoint the fifth man, knew nc more about the wants of New Haven thar though they lived in the most distant parts of the State. So far as the police force wal concerned, he thought it had continued to i'm prove for the last twenty years and he be- lieved it would continue to improve. He had l no doubt but that there were men on the force who were bad men, but they could be got rid of under the present charter. From close observation he did not believe there was better governed city in the United States than New Haven, in all it's depart | ments.
 Carlos Smith was the next witness. He said he should not be in favor of discharging the entire police force. He said there were men who had been on the force for many years and they had been faithful officers ; | they xyara nouv so old that fhav couId pof paf