The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-07-22
Politics In Connecticut.

An overwhelming political victory is
not always an unmixed blessing to the
party that achieves it, The history of
parties in this country is full of illustra-
lions of this truth. For very strik-
ing instance of 1t in the history of the
democratic party we need so no further
back than the election of 1892, and note
what followed that victory in this state
and in the nation. A party is in much
greater danger when it has everything
It's own way than when having a bare
majority; it Is SO closely watched thatit
cannot afford to be careless or negli-
gent, but must take diligent heed of ev-
cry step in order to avoid the mistakes
of over-confdence
The republicans of Connecticut car
ried that state at the last election by a
majority larger than either party had
received for a generation; electing all
their congressman, all but one of the
state senators and more than four
ffths of the house. The legislature be-
gan it's session on the first of January
and only adjourned last week; the
longest session, we believe, ON record,
| IL oGClllS ullIlCSC99allly lCilS pul ~ 40 W
be taken into account that the legisla-
ture meets but once in two years, and
there IS such intellectual activity in the
state that six solid months Of a legisla-
tive session are not too much--if
enough, indeed-to give it proper vent.
The press of the state Is still engaged in
the discussion Of the merits and demer-
its Of the body which has just adj
journed. From the comments Of news
papers of both parties, we judge the
consensus Of opinion to be that, while
| 1t made many mistakes-among which,
perhaps, were a. shutting policy on the
question Of amending the constitution
and futile and foolish investigation Of
charges of corruption that would better
| have been passed unnoticed-upon the
| whole, 1t was as good as the average
and might have been worse. 1t is not
| unworthy of note, however, that the
reckless prodigality with which gratui-
| ties were thrown to everybody who had
been in attendance during the session
| DOWN to the bootblacks in the Capitol
has been rather sparingly censured,
| The explanation Of this will be found
| by the uncharitable in the circumstance
| that the representatives of the press OF
| both parties were among those who
were handsomely remembered at the
states expense.
1t seems to be agreed on all hands
that Speaker Samuel Fessenden dis
| charged the functions of presiding Off
Ger with unusual ability and to the en-
| tire satisfaction Of all parties, So
much so that the closing hours Of the
session We're made vocal with his prais-
es; political friends and opponents wy
| Ing with each other in their commenda-
ton of his impartiality, his geniality
and his other excellent qualities. He
is to be congratulated upon his success
| in the discharge of the duties of so try
| ing a position. 1t is not impossible,
however, that his qualification may be
somewhat alloyed by the suggestion
which has appeared in some quarters
| that he Is nourishing an ambition for a
much higher position, for which his
1 present popularity will be used as a
stepping stone. Doubtless he would
like to be United States senator. That
is an ambition of which no man need be
| ashamed. But 1t can hardly be true
that Mr.. Fessenden would seriously set
himself up, or permit his friends to set
him up, as candidate for the office
now so worthily and usefully filled by
Orville H. Platt so long as that gentle
man consents to serve his state in that
place. Senator Platt is one of the most
modest and unaggressive of men, but
we only repeat what all his colleagues
in the senate will confirm, and what the
great majority of Connecticut republi-
cans know to be the fact, when we say
that Connecticut has never been more
faithfully and ably represented in that
body than during his term of service.
No senator has greater influence as a
wise and prudent counsellor, nor is
there one In whose steadfast integrity