Connecticut western news., 1884-04-23
BETHEL LETTER

munity, continue to dwell Tn peace and mutual admiration. We find much to admire in one another, and If the world doesn't look upon our admiration with admiriug jealousy, then the world is cynical and we don't care. We arc as independent of the world as hog on ice with roller skates. We have Q little axis and orbit of our own, and revolve round ourselves in perpetual bliss.
 While we ask no odds and pay no boot to the outside world, the aforesaid outside world is anxiouslY interested, in view of the coming ''great struggle" in the question of Bethel's political atti- | tude. which is accepted as eonundrum, even here at home. In view of the sus- pense in which such Q condition throws the anxious world, we rejoice in being classed as ''doubtful state" We have for years been emphatically republican, but at the town election of last October victory perched upon the democratic banner with majority no larger than 0 miser's heart, but large enough to con stltute victory. Of course the demo- crats were jubilant, but their iltbilation was short -winded A few days after i election was announced the republican discovery of q disagreement between l the check-li and the counters report, the counters having certified to 20 bal lots more than were checked. An in- vestigation was ordered, and 0 recount gave the republicans a tidal wave," so to speak-not too tidal, but just tidal enough to raise the d-d-emocrats out of | their short-lived offices. The democrat ic mis-count was accidental, but the re- publican investigation was intentional. However, at the November election the democrats scored victory on every ticket, with an unquestionable majority. l What we shall do next fall is matter of doubt and probably will continue to be until it is definitely known how deep the respective parties intended to plant the root of all evil here; but from the sanguineness of both sides, one might suppose that if the result of the presi- dential contest were to hinge upon the Bethel vote-which we think it should we would have two presidents on our hands.
 Interest in the liquor business IS at it's usual high pitch. High pitches are our best hold. An interest without high pitch has no claim upon our sympathles. We have no license and consequently no liquor selling-to speak of. It IS i'm possible to get a drink here-without "knowing the ropes. Rumor (which is one of our most reliable sources of in- formation) sometimes points darldy to suspected lurking places of the devil, in the suburbs, but our ''high pitch" soon vanquishes the barb tailed demon and ex- acts pledges of future good behavior
 Our pride is our "banner" reputation for having no liquor sold here; how much may be imported and drank here is.none of our business. Danbury is welcome to the hundreds of Bethel dol lars that go to her merchants generally and rumsellers principally, every we k, although we realize that ''blood money
 is legal tender. She may continue to send home every night car load of Bethelites, each loaded internally with bottles-full and externally with full bot ties, so long as we are absolved from tho moral responsibility of the sale.
 , Colonel George s. Crofut of the Fourth
 Regiment, c. N. G., died at his resi- - dence here on the 2d inst. Col Crofut ' enjoyed the highest esteem and conf
 dence of all, in his business and social relations, and was one of those pure , hearted, high minded men of whom we have few to boast and none to spare
 His funeral was the largest demonstra :. tion of that nature ever seen in thi,
 town. Besides the whole community
 and friends from abroad there were il 7 the procession 150 masons. 100 mem
 bers of the G. A. R., the entire Fourtl
 Regiment, officers of the governors staf and delegates from other military or
 ganizations. At the church addresse,
 were made by Rev Mir Slack, and Re,
 Samuel Scoville of Stamford, chaplain
 of the Fourth. The burial services t were conducted by the masons, ant y three volleys were fired over the gray,
 by the military. It is a question wheth F CT the memory of the lamented colone a was honored by the presence of the reg
 iment, in view of the disgraceful con z duct by which a few of the member
 humiliated the whole body. Early il n the forenoon, before they arrived here :, three members of one of the companie 4 were arrested and jugged in Danbur,
 for drunkenness, insulting ladies, etc
 and even at the entrance to the churcl >. here, ladies were subjected to annoy
 ance and insult by the rowdyism, Ian
 guage and idiotic staring of some of lou IT country's brave defenders" In one in
 stance, after the obsequies, their conduc
 was such as to call for a scathing repri
 mand from Brigadier-genera1 Smith, ,wh,
 ordered certain men to be summaril, " discharged by their captain. It woulC
 seem that in some companies, the rule 1t of qualification governing tho admission
 of candidates into membership is no D. sufficiently rigid--and indeed, ill som
 cases, that the only requisite qualified k tion is the utter absence of any qualif l- cation-thus making it possible for on
 company to embrace few liable t n bring reproach upoa the whole regi