Connecticut western news., 1883-01-10

Wit: Waller Of Connecticut, Butler of Massachusetts, Cleveland of New York and Pattison of Pennsylvania, were in augurated last week, and each gave his diagnosis in the shape of Message, of the various ills which afflict the body polite. The Message of Governor Waller is we'll spoken of even by the leading opposition papers, and many of his recommendations are commended. He commences by congratulating the Legislature upon the general prosperity of the state, and says: "That no state in the Union needs so little legislation as this. {" This is doubtless true, and it would be well for our prolific law makers to bear it in mind. We have had too much Legislation, too many re- forms backward, and too many laws that are s'deformed, unfinished, sent before their time into this breathing world scarce half made up." The Gov ernor does not go into national politics, but observes that there has been no time within the last twenty-five years when the people could more reasonably hope for legislation that would benefit their material interest and affect their every day life.
 Time has obliterated the animosities and issues of the past, and to-day there is nothing to distract attention from the questions of tariff, internal revenue, tenure of office, economy of expendi- lures, honesty in administration and cleanliness in politics. He says: "The worst evil-the father of all the rest In the politics of to-day is the partisan ship that makes the pettiest office holder the victim of political assessments, and compels him to be champion or boss of the party or clique that can manage to keep him in office. Office holders who have debauched our politics should be removed and honest persons put in their places, after a sensible ex. animation by non-partisan boards and these should not be removed except for neglect of duty or insolence of office. The registry law should be changed so as to allow laboring men to register in the evening after the hours of their daily labor. A law should be passed provid- ing that no contribution of money shall be made, directly or indirectly, by candidate for office, for election purpos- es, except such purposes as may be specifed) and that the person elected before entering upon his office, shall take and subscribe an oath that he has not violated any of the provisions of the statute. In. our political system the caucus practically chooses the officers who govern us. Spurious ballots, bribery and corruption are more com- mon here than at the polls. The pro- visions of the election law in regard to these evils should be made to apply to the caucus or the primary. The expen- ditures of the state are increasing in greater ratio than the business or popu- lation. They should be reduced in every proper and reasonable way. The ju dicial expenses in the last year are about $31, 900 more than the year previous. A large proportion of this arises from class of criminal cases appealed from es-of-the-peaoe and city courts which ought never to have been brought and which are nolled before trial. If the law were so changed as to compel towns and cities to pay costs accrued be- fore appeal, to be reimbursed in case the state received the same it is believed the number of such cases would be greatly reduced, the public saved from large expense and the public saved from g multitude of unnecessary and petty pros cautions. The terms of the courts are so inconveniently arranged that con- siderable portion of the time of the judges is wasted. The Superior Court should be always open, and complaints made returnable on certain day in each month, and the times of the sessions of the court in each county should be an- nually fixed. The great interest of pub lie education should, above all others, be managed with the most sturdy, prac- tical common sense. The purpose of all Legislative action and control should be to provide the children in our com mon schools, not with superficial knowledge of many things, but with a thorough knowledge of the common ru- dimentary branches of an English edu- cation. The Governor thinks the tax laws are defective in this, that instead of requiring list of all property liable to taxation, list should be returned of al property and the assessors should de- eide what is exempt, and if property is afterwards discovered liable to taxation, it should be provided that the tax could be recovered by the town in an action at law. In regard to the prohibitory amendment to the Constitution continu- ed by the last legislature he reminds the General Assembly that they should not vote for it unless they approve of it and thus attempt to shirk the responsibility upon the people. He thinks it would be better if it were provided that liquor licenses should continue in force, un
 less revoked, until the icensee failed te
 pay the fee for renewal or until the towI
 voted no license. The duty of the IL
 eensing power would be greatly lessen
 ed and the expense reduced in propor
 tion. He also thinks the power to
 grant and revoke licenses, which is
 largely 8 judicial power, should be taker