Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1882-08-08
COMMUNICATIONS.



To the Editor of the JOURNAL COURIER:
The mourners keep coming and after all
the funeral promises to be pretty big affair
before anybody is buried. Now if you will
permit mean outside barbarian should
like to indulge in some fat-footed, sensible,
business talk about this old State House
corpse and its use. 1t has been strongly
suspected, and not without reason, that the
idea persistently paraded about free
public library is purely chimerical, that it is
simply pet scapegoat used by our sestheti-
cal friends of the Greek quarter to prevent
this old plaster ruin from being pulled down
But there is one thing very certain, and it is
we'll for all of us who take interest in intel
ligent and moral things to be reminded of
it, that the day when New Haven will possess
a great free public library, creditable to the
city, will be far remote indeed, if we are to
wait for the munifcent endowment of O suit
able structure and also for the equipment
which it is desirable to have. 1t was Greek
wisdom to say that the gods help those who
help themselves. And it is good Yankee
wisdom also. and Connecticut Yankees are
known to be good exemplars of the proverb.
| The possession of a location which is grand
and Of structure which can be made highly
creditabsgs. with the doors waiting to be
4
| then have the opportunity to build for them
| selves monument useful and inperisha-
BILE as Joseph Sheffield did, this would not
| only fill the bill of the city's corporate con
| tribution to such public benefit, but it
| would diminish the call upon private benevo
lence by more than one half. So there is
| some sense, and strong sense. in this use OF
! the old State House.
The question is not one of sentiment but
| of creditable economy and creditable public
IL L i Il
| where it Is nobody would consent to put any
building there for any purpose whatsoever
| But as we find it there and fast becoming a
| disgraceful wreck, we will restore it and
make it exceedingly useful, if it is not past
the condition for judicious outlay. This is
the first common sense proposition which
nine out of ten taxpayers will unquestiona
| bly, indorse.
| Now about the builders testimony l used
| to know in country days a circuit Judge (noi
| in Connecticut), very jolly fellow, whose
| legal training and information were exceed
| ingly crude He may have skinned some
| but don't believe he ever read law boob
| through. But he the best guesser that
| ever made his judicial Office distinguish him
self instead of he honoring it. He was pos
sessed of sharp intuitions but violent preju
dices, and while the latter often tempted hin
to be partial in his judgment, his keen power
of analysis generally brought him up about
| right. While he couldn't argue a legal prop
osition to save his life, or give any reason
ing to show how he arrived at his decision
yet his random ipse dintt somehow h. thu
nail more sqnarely than could be expG,ted
and the Supreme Court rarely reversed him
These architects probably know great dea
more about their own business than the judg'
did of his, but decision in an importan
case without reasons is quite unsatisfaoto
ry to the public as the judges was to tn
practitioners in his court. The builders ma,
have made good random shot. If they fir
again at little closer range they might f.
off pretty wide of the mark voluntar,
opinion, without reasons, obtained in tn
heat of public canvass, is decidedly suspi
! eious especially when the hope is held gu