Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-12
HURRY THE WORK.


 Connecticut legislature will be fairly launched on the sea of business. And there does seem to be enough work on hand to test the patience, endurance and energy of an average legislature. What with the secret ballot, the constitutional reform in regard to plurality election, the taxation projects of MT O'Neill and the Housatonic and Consolidated railroad petitions, there will be variety and amount sufficient to keep the members busy until long after the time when it had been fondly hoped by the ordinary citizens the legislature might pass out of existence.
 It is the duty, however, of the legisla- ture to hurry its work and adjourn as soon as possible. It ought certainly to be ready to adjourn at least by the close of April, but the indications seem to point to a much later date when the gavel will fall for the last time. If the speaker of the house, the leaders on the floor and the chairmen of the various committees show an energetic spirit, one
  than in action, there is no reason why the session may not end by the time stated. It is not probable that there will be any form of secret ballot that will commend itself to the politicians of both parties, and it may be set down as cer- tain that there will be none adopted. It Is in swapping votes and making trades that the politicians find their occupation and with this field of operations gone there would be no further use for them consent to let any bill for secret ballot go through if they can prevent-and they generally can in Connecticut leg islature. The same fate is likely to at tend the plurality election matter, for the republicans are not going to give up the privilege they now enjoy of seating state officials whom the people have re- jected at the polls. Republicans are not noted for particular generosity, and if there is any one thing they are par ticularly skillful in it is in hanging on to good thing when they have it. The railroad petitions are therefore the chief thing that may be expected to pro- long the session, and we confess when we contemplate the outlook from this point of view we are not encouraged to predict great haste. Both the Housatonic and Consolidated roads have powerful influences at work. and it is quite cer- tain that the legislators are not going to be allowed to dispose of their claims without very thorough examination of their merits. But it does seem that the members might, if they would do little investigating for themselves wholly apart from the influences of either in- terest, reach a conclusion that would be as nearly right as it would probably be after hearing the case presented by skilled lawyers and practiced lobbyists. There Is really nothing in this railroad business that any legislator cannot fathom for himself if he will undertake the task, and therefore nothing that sug- gests the necessity of prolonging the ses- sion to unreasonable length.
 The people of Connecticut want a short, sharp and snappy session-one where action will have a larger field than mere talk. Speaker Perry can do much to hurry things, and if he chooses he has 1t in his power to make himself famous by keeping the house down close to it's business and so forcing it to hurry the work