Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-12-20

missioners as attorneys for applicants for |
license; and they have brought proceed
ings for the revocation of licenses and set
tied the same upon payment by the Hcensee
of bill of costs, including a fee for them
selves, without hearing before the COM
missioners and without authority of law.
Your committee would not be under
stood that the foregoing facts are applica-
BILE to all the commissioners In all the
counties. On the contrary, 1t Is their pleas
ure to be able to report that many of them
have exercised their Office honestly and &C.
cording to the best of their ability.
The election of county commissioners by
vote of tho people has been suggested to
your committee by many of the witnesses
as q reform measure. There Is q demand
for some change, but the committee do not
believe that change in the mode of cleo
ton would remedy the evils which have
been shown to exist. If the change
is to be directed towards the en-
forcement of present statutes accord
ing to their intent, the power
of county commissioners to grant and re-
woke liquor licenses should be transferred
to tribunal bound by settled rules of
law and evidence, upon whom full respon-
sibility for the abuse of power can be cast,
and from whose shoulders 1t cannot be
of Sinking the responsibility in boards of
three persons, and the suggestion was
often made to the committee, favoring
minority representations in the boards. In
the opinion of our committee, minority
representation would no more cure the ex
isting evils than would a change in the
mode of selecting the commissioners.
The committee have considered the sug
gestion that the Office of county commits
sioner be abolished, and that their statu-
| tory powers and duties, except those re-
| lating to the liquor traffic, be vested in a
county treasurer to be elected by the peo-
pie, but they are not prepared to recon-
mend such a change in the law.
Your committee do recommend that the
power to grant and revoke licenses for the
sale of spurious and Intoxicating liquor be
conferred upon judicial tribunal, and
that the Office of prosecuting agent be
abolished.
They have been unable to discover any
good reason for the appointment of special
prosecutors for particular class of crime.
If the ordinary informing officers are in
competent to prosecute violators of the
| liquor law, the committee would recon-
mend legislation raising the standard of
eligibility of such officers.
S S f.: : ss, s$55''
Senator Cleveland, dem, of the First,
said-I suppose 1t is proper that the re-
port of the committee be accepted and
the committee discharged, and I so move.
| Senator Cleveland's motion was at once
carried without discussion.
| Senator Seymour said he asked leave to
| introduce a motion that when the senate
adjourns today, it adjourn sine die.
| Senator Cleveland-It seems to me 1t
would be better to move direct to adjourn
sine die.
Senator Shumway-I move that the SEN
ate have leave to adjourn sine die when
they adjourn to-day.
Senator Clevsland-I move that when
the senate adjourns it adjourn to January
8, 1898.
Senator seymour-I see no reason why
| we should come here again, unless some
thing can be done then which cannot be
done now. The only business is to clean
the table.
Senator Cleveland-It is only propriety
to adjourn sine die together, and as the
house comes in January it seems that We
should adjourn to the same day, and Sc
press my motion.
Senator Fox-I should bs in favor of tn.
senator's motion, but it seems that under
the statute the governor would have tx
1
as the law requires this.
Senator Seymour-I do not think tina
, the statute controls either body, as on
may adjourn without the consent of tn
other, and there is nothing to prevent tn
, senate to-day from adjourning sine die
| The house did not consult the senate as t.
, what day they should adjourn to, and 80
, no reason why we should adjourn to thei
day after being snubbed by this body.
am willing to adjourn to that day for sora
I good reason, but not simply because tn
| house did so.
, Senator Cleveland's motion was the
passed.
, Senator Thayer moved that the report o
: the committee on county commissioners b
adopted by the senate.
Senator DANES, of the Eighteenth, raised
, an objection to Senator Thayer's motion t
, adopt, upon the ground of parlimentar
r proceedings, that as the report of the CON
. | mittee had been accepted and the commit
. tee discharged that the matter was thu
t ended.
Senator Read, in the chair, ruled tina
3 the matter was still before the senate, an
that Senator Thsyer's nation was properl
3 made.
Q Senator Holden, DEM, of the Seventh
Il thought that the adoption of ths repo1
l meant the adoption of the recommends
f lions of the committee, and he therefor
amended by moving that the committed
O | report be printed in the records and sut
mitted to she next general assembly.
= Senator Fox-I would ask of Senate
Thayer: We're the county commissioner
. heard in their own defence?
Senator Thayer-Some were, and a
: were given chance to be, but failed
a appear. Personally believe that eleotio
= of county commissioners by the peopl
should not be. The committee endeavore
a not to bring politics into this matter, bu
y to do it for the benefit Of the people.
Senator Holden's motion to print an
h submit to next general assembly was the
y adopted.
- The senate then adjourned until Januar
. 2 1909