The Press., 1886-01-28
The Legislature.

There Is considerable merit ln a Dlll introduced by Mir. Jewett of Granby- That no child between four and sixteen, who cannot read or write, shall be en- ployed in any factory or store, under pen alty of $50. An effort is to be made to have the state make reparation to Mrs. Prudence Philleo, formerly Miss Prudence Crandall of Can terbury. We have before given a history of this case. but in brief the circumstances were these In 1892 Miss Crandall had ladies school in Canterbury. Having taken colored pupil the others rebelled, and when she insisted upon retaining the obnoxious one, left the school. Miss Crandall theredpon made her school one for colored girls, and many of these fiocked to avail of advantages heretofore closed to them. The people of Canter- bury protested against the disgrace" of having ''nigger schoop' ill the town, threatened, held town meeting over 1t, induced the legislature to pass law mak- ing it legal to imprison person teaching
 
 iail, being placed ill cell just vacated by a murderer who had been hanged. She was tried in the superior court, but the jury disagreed. A second trial resulted Ill her conviction. An appeal was taken, and the higher court evaded passing upon the constitntionality of the law by quash- ing the case on an informality.
 All these proceedings were led by An drew T. .Judson, a prominent democratic politician of Canterbury, afterward con- gressman.
 Miss Crandall persisted in her school and mobs broke her windows, detiled her well and assaulted her premises i'll various ways, making her house untenantable Stores and churches were closed against her, and finally she left town. She is now S3 years of age and living in Kansas in destitute condition. She petitions to the Connecticut legislature-and citizens of Canterbury endorse her request-for some compensation for the outrages and depriva- tions inflicted upon her fifty-two or three years ago. If the prosecutions had been perpetrated solely by the citizens of Can- terbury, doubtless the children and grand children of her prosecutors would be en- titled to the exclusive privilege of making anhonorable amend but as the state was participator by the passage of the con- demnable law of 1S33, the state ought to feel the obligation of making reparation to this now aged martyr.
 It is hard to realize now that these things occurred ill Connecticut and they may charitably be construed as resultant of the desire to placate the south, then as later, jealous of any attempt to elevate the negro race even in the north, and bristling at every provocation with the threats to ;oT, years were potent to gain all ends sought in behalf of their pet institutions.
 Hartford Times A bill has been intro duced in the Connecticut legislature pro- viding that insurance companies shall pay the full amount named in the policy, in case an insured building is bnrned down. This is after the policy of New Hampshire, from which her people are suffering. It will be long time hence before Connecti-- cut will enter upon scheme like this, to invite fraud and increase the crime of in cendiarism. The insurance companies contract to pay ''loss or damage by fire. 2 If the owner of a building induces the agent to write $1O,00O on his property, when 1t is actually worth but $8,000, and the building is burnt, shall the company be forced to pay $10, 900 when the proof is clear that the salvage was $2, ,00O, and thai the entire property was worth only $S, 1000 If so, too many persons will be tempted to over-insure their property, and then permit 1t to burn up.
 The weight of argument seems on the side taken by the Times, and yet people are studying the effects of New Hamp shire's law and discerning some merit il it. Occasional sharp practice on the par of insurance companies, like that in whicl the full amount of loss on Central Hal block, in Stafford Springs, was evadet last winter, does much to make convert to the New Hampshire policy. But it Ii safe to say that Connecticut is not yet dis posed to try the new way.
 Much labor legislation is likely to bt introduced The labor committee is mad, up with majority who will be favorabl, to whatever may be asked by the work ingmen. It is hoped that every measur, may get impartial consideration. Ther, are many in the legislature who want t stretch a point for the workingmen, yet do justice to the employers; others wht see the chief merit of the matter in th, votes that back up the petitioners. Some extravagances may be committed certain ly some will be called for by those agita tors who see but one side to the matter and ignore the old doctrine that it take two to make bargain. 7 One measur. proposed certainly seems not to savor o injustice This is an amendment to lav passed last year, and which provides tha in all cases where an employer demands | notice from employees before leaving, un der pain of forfeiture of wages for lengtl of time for which notice is required, shal be in the same way responsible for wages for equal length of time to employees dis charged without notice, except for miscon duct, incapacity, or in case of general srs pension of business The amendment proyidesIfor arbitration in case of dis charge of help, as to alleged miseonduc or incapacity. A proposed act, relating tc child labor, provides that no person nndel