Morning journal and courier., 1883-02-28
apuruxI arlS Guurisr.
Wednesday, Feb. 2S. 1883.
The General Assembly.

 Good Attendance Of Senators and Mem- bers s-The General Temp srance Law Discussed Before the Committee by Sem alOr DeForest and Others Another Railroad ProJect--The Council of Edu- cation Once More.
 HARTFORD, Feb. 27. Especial correspondence of JOURNAL AND ooURrER.l
 The General Assembly convened today with an unusually large number of Senators and Representatives in attendance for the first legislative day of the week. The House was quite well filled and all the Senators but four were present when the Lieutenant Gov ernor rapped the Senate to order. Among those present was Senator Plunkett, who has been absent for more than a week with an at tack of pneumonia. Both houses had short sessions, adjourning in about one hour after being called to order.
 Many of the committees were in session | this afternoon, but most of the business be- | fore them was of minor importance. The Railroad committee heard petition for char ter for railroad running from Willimantic through Scotland and Brooklyn to the State line in Killingly, where it is to connect with a road partly built to Providence, R. I. l KillingIy, and others appeared in favor of l the new road.
 Senator DeForest, of Bridgeport, appeared before the Temperance committee and strong | ly urged the repeal of several provisions in the present bill, passed at the last session. The Senator spoke at considerable length on bill introduced by himself, which is Senate bill Mo- 49. He said that his bill provided for the repeal of section of the present act, | which provides that five taxpayers shall slgn | @ persons recommendation for license. He said the application could be advertised the same as now, so that persons could object the same as now if they so desired. Some of l the worst holes in his town, he said, had been recommended by reputable peo- pie, who probably did not stop to give the matter a thought. He thought also that no license should be refused by the county commissioners unless such license had been revoked for cause. The county commission CTS had the power to set themselves up above the people and so completely nullify the acts of the people. If the towns voted for li- eense it was in the power of the commission CTS to raise the objection that everyone who applied for a license was unsuitable or that the place was unsuitable He would have the law so amended further that the com missioners shall be compelled to grant i- censes whenever town so orders by it's vote. Another proposition he would suggest is one similar to that made by Governor Waller in his inaugural address, which provides that person may have his license renewed from year to year so long as he keeps it's provi- | sions without going to unnecessary expense ! from year to year. Another proposition was | to repeal that part of the law which gives commissioners the power to revoke license | without giving the lieensee the right to ap- peal to higher tribunal. He thought that every man should have the right to be tried before jury of his peers if he desired. He said he knew of cases where great injus- tice had been done by revoking license with out sufficient evidence. Again he would pro- pose the repeal of that part of the law which prevents person to carry on the liquor business in any room or building that con- nected with the rooms where the party lived or that had any connection whatever with such rooms. He said that this part of the law had been very great inconvenience, \ vexatious in it's character and of no benefit whatever. He would also repeal all that part of the law in regard to seizures, and added that it sometimes cost the towns who ordered such seizures $1oo to pay hungry constables and prosecuting agents, and they would find perhaps, as in one case, empty pitcher strongly impregnated with the smell of li- quor, and nothing more. He thought also that the law relating to the selling of liquors to minors or husbands complained of by their wives or 0ice ge,sG, or an intoxicated person, should be so amended that dealer should | not be punished if he was ignorant of the facts.
 WeigandkS kSchIein, of New Haven, followed Senator DeForest and urged the repeal of many of (to the, Germans as well as Americans) what were considered obnoxious clauses in the law.
 Before the Judiciary committee appeared Mayor Lewis and Corporation Counsel Dris- coll, of New Haven, to advocate bill which provides that persons injured by falling on the ice shall give notice within three days \ instead of sixty days as the law now is.
 The hearing of the bill to abolish the State Fish Commission will be heard before the committee on fisheries on Tuesday after ! noon of next week.
 To morrow afternoon Wednesday, hear ing will be had before the Committee on I Banks regarding the closing up of the busi- ness of the Townsend Savings bank. It is thought the hearing will occupy two or three ! days time.
 The Committee on Education were in ses- sion yesterday and heard parties interested in the proposed bill to appoint a board of ex- aminers who shall examine the qualifications of all persons who apply for the positi on. The bill emanates from the Council of Edu- ! cation and is an exact copy of the one that ' dafo ofa6 in Ina oOIo oIatr1 of
 The committee of the council in their cir cular, which also contains an abstract of the law, set forth the following:
 | The object of this bill is to secure better educated teachers and to do away with the favoritism which has too often placed incap- able instructors in charge of public schools.
 It will be seen that the bill is not compul- sory but permissive. Under it's provisions the school visitors of any town or school district, may, if they see fit, require candi- date to obtain a certificate from the State | examiners or they may continue the pr esent method of examination.
 I The bill is not retroactive, as it does not require the re examination of teachers now employed.
 The present school law of our State allows but one course in the examination of teach CTS. The proposed bill gives school boards the privilege of adopting another method if they see fit. There can be no centralization of power as the bill is compulsory, but leaves \ the selection of the plan of examining teach CTS entirely in the hands of the local school ! authorities.
 Inquiries in different parts of the State show that some localities will prefer the plan now required by law, while others will prefer that proposed in this bill. Will it not be fair to allow freedom of choice in this matter
 State boards for the examination of candi- dates for teaching have been established in all but five of the northern States. It is the uniform testimony of school officials in these States that the effect of the law has been to increase the qualifications of the teachers and to improve the character of the schools. Teachers holding certificates from such boards occupy the front ranks of their pro- fession and are in great demand.
 Following is an abstract of the business transacted in the Senate and House to-day. | The Senate.
 The ninth week of the Senate opened to- day with Lieutenant Governor Sumner in the chair. Prayer was offered by Chaplain | Parker.
 The following business was transacted: Resolution authorizing the State Board of II a- Q