Morning journal and courier., 1890-04-29
Connecticut seventy Years Since.

Connecticut Seventy Years Since. In 1919 Msssrs. John 0. Pease and John M. Niles of Hartford published a Gazetteer of Connecticut and Rhode Island, containing many curious facts regarding the Connecti- out of seventy years since. The cities were then small. New Haven had, by the census of 1910, 8 population of 6,9s7; Hartford, 6,003; Middletown, 5,332. Waterbury and Meridsn were towns of 2,S74 and 1, ,249 souls. Bridgeport and New Britain were not even incorporated towns. Fairfield and New London counties had no towns of 5000 popu. lation, and the northern tier of counties were southern. Indeed, Litohfeld was then the most populous county next to Hartford, and it has increased less since than any other county. In fact, outside of the four towns of Winchester, New Hart ford, Torrington and Plymouth Chen includ ing Thomaston) the county has slightly de- clined in population since 1910. The general view of Connecticut" with which the work begins is very curious. Un- der the head of manufactures we find the fol- lowing:
 Of the various manufactures of the state those of domestic spirits, consisting principally of gin and cider brandy claim the first rank as articles of portation and for their aggregate value The prin: cpal seat of the manufacture is in tho county of sor Enhsld and Windsor There are in this county twenty one gin distlsriss, some of which are upon sivsiy and employs great amount of capital The gin manufactnred in the aforesaid towns is of au
 
 syel in th: and taken the lead of one of them may ultimately become the schiedam advantageous market for grain and wood. and con. @
 tributes in no small degree to the agricultural pros
 
 titles of beef and pork are fettsned It has been fer M | swine.
 Under the head of "Bridees" we find that river at the city of Hartford claims the first notice. This is one of the most elegant and expensive bridges in the United States. "Those | who have seen that structure in recent times would hardly call 1t "elegapt;" but that 1t has continued to be expensive the cost of its removal last year sufficiently proves.
 The people of Connecticut are thus vindi- cHted from the charge of bigotry:
 The people of this state have been consid- cred as remarkably bigoted; and, from the extent and general prevalence of this opin ion, have been exposed to the sneers of the illiberal and the uninformed from the Reviews of Edinburgh and Lon- srsphists in the n.ighborips states. Whatever may have formerly been the case, at the present time these opinions are entirely unfounded. They are to be as- cribed to the puritanical character of our ancestors, and to the systematic regularity, that scrupulous decorum, which is no where so oonspiouously to be observed among the mass of the people, as in this state. But, as licentiousness is no evidence of liberality of sentiment, so, on the other hand, precision of conduct is not to be re- garded as proceeding from prejudice, 0, limited or illiberal views. Ignorance is acknowledged to be the parent of preju- dice; yet at the same time that the reproach of bigotry is attempted to be affixed to the people of Connecticut, they are acknowledged to be more gene- rally intelligent and enlightened than almost any other community. But this absurdity does not exist. At the present time. free
 dom of inquiry, liberality of sentiment, in. dependence of thinking and speaking, and 6 general spirit of toleration and charity, are perhaps nowhere more conspicuous than in 7 Connecticut.
 :. The bssetting sins of our forefathers are thus acknowledged:
 If there are any prevailing or peculiar , vices belonging to the inhabitants of this cenary spirit is tho most conspicuous. This probably ts owing in part to the . prevailing spirit and habits of trade 5 but principally to civil institu
 tions, and the established principles and
 customs of society, which attach an undo.
 served importance to property. Thes. causes are not peculiar to this state; yei . perhaps from their connection with others !. their influence may have been more exten' sive.
 The inequality in representation of tn.
 people of New Haven and of Union is thu. E criticised:
 This town furnishes . striking example o : the inequality and injustice of the principl, of representation in this state and of ths prevalence of the "borough system" of Eng.
 land. Union, with population of 762 and
 with list of $17,O00, has an equal rep resentation with New Haven, which has population of more than 10000. and list o $232. 800; having more than nine times tho inhabitants of Union, and paying nearly
 eight times the amount of taxes: and upon { more just principle of taxation, the differ. ence in this respect would be more conspic. l uous.
 In 1880 the population of New Haven had l grown to be 120 times larger than that ol [ Union. In other words the differences whicl
 were Conspicuous" in 1919, are thirteer
 times greater in population and more thar : fifty times greater in wealth to-day. .-Litch'
 field Enquirsr.