The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-03-14
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
4 BIC CROWD 1T THE TEMPERANCE
 HEARING.

the House-Many Parts of the State Rep
 resented-Speeches by Charles E. Gross,
 the Veteran Editor Burr, Professor Me
 Cook, Bishop Tierney of Hartford, Rev.
 Dr. Newman smyth and Judge Munger of
 Ansonia-The Meeting of the New Haven
 County Representatives-The County g
 Finances-Waterbury Court House-New
 Haven Jail-Many Bills Pass the House.
 Hartford March 19.-The hall of the
 house of representatives was crowded
 this afternoon as it has not been before at this session. Many temperance peo- pie from all over the state were pres
 ent including many ladies. It was a general hearing on the temperance com mittee bills The members of the com mittee occupied seats on the speakers platform.
 Attorney Charles E. Gross of Hart ford made quite a speech in favor of the bill giving to the superior court the granting of licenses. He also read a letter from Judge Dwight Loomis favor ing the bill.
 1IlG IGAL speaker lHlIOuuCGd Was SOl- onel A. D. Burr of the Hartford Times Colonel Burr spoke of temperance mat ters in general and of the manner of granting licenses in Hartford county He pointed out the workings of the present law and showed how that bene- fit would accrue by placing the entire matter in the hands of the superior court. There were about 200 liquor li- censes granted in this city. The great power of granting licenses in this state should not be allowed with the county commissioners. For one, he hoped that the former would be transferred to the superior court.
 Prof. McCook of Trinity college was the next speaker. He said in part;
 q am very glad to be 4ere to-day to give my testimony in favor of these pending measures. The time has come when the people should consider this measure in it's right light The ques- tion is: Shall we be able to pay our debts if we go on at this rate?' I have found that 62 per cent. of the arrests in this county for a few years were from drunkenness. In the opinion of the people of this state who know best ~ pS4 CClbls Ol LllG PeluP0lIo OL llAlo state is due to drink. At least two thirds of our vagabondage is due to drink. And so, wherever you go, drink is principally attributable to the evils of society The real question is What is to be done about all this? You have before you to-day certain bills, and in general they are the best that can be secured. Of course, in some details there might be improvement We have reached a time where matters are about as bad as they can be, and it is my own belief that we will be benefited by these bills. County commissioners are environed by great temptations at times and it is better for them that the granting of licenses should be with drawn from them. This is not an at- tack upon the liquor dealers. The trouble with them is that their business is overdone, and they are tempted to sell unlawfully. We have the right to say Gentlemen, we will save you from yourselves.
 Bishop Tierney of Hartford was the next speaker, and as he rose he was warmly applauded.
 He said: Almost any change in the manner of granting liquor licenses would be for the best. If this bill passes, a change will come. There are other features of the bill. High license is one feature. All you of the committee understand the evils of in temperance. Think of these evils and in the fear of Almighty God I believe you will render right judgment" (Applause.)
 Rev. pr. Newman Smyth when in- troduced was warmly applauded. He said:
 "In following the gentleman who has just sat down, would add an amen and God bless you to the bishop of Hartford. (Applause) In the first place I would like to ascertain how near we can come to an understanding on bills with our friends on the other side. There are several bills relating to the defect in some of the existing laws. We have found that one of the chief causes of lawlessness arises from the fact that we have not kept our faith entirely in granting licenses, We have more saloons in almost any city than can possibly pay. Many are driven into the Sunday business, or into immoral surroundings of the sa- loon tndL IS ueplOIdDle. we SnOulQ re- duce the number of irresponsible liquor dealers. Every person in Connecticut who sells liquor should be a respon- sible man. This business should be | taken out of the hands of the worst | men in the community and placed i'm i the hands of responsible men. It should | be said in justice to the commissioners | of New Haven that their work has | been better conducted than in the pre- | vious six months when they were fresh | from politics. Either these duties of | issuing licenses should be modified, or taken from the commissioners all over | the state entirely. It is high time that | should be done towards more precisely defining the duties of the The excise powers are not properly lodged in the hands of the county commissioners and thereI are various reasons why this is so. The county commissioners office is the place where the political eggs are matched. How shall this power be Here we meet a very grave matter and I am ready to hear some propositions from the gentlemen 1n the other side I doubt if it would load down the work of the courts to give them the power of issuing licenses.