The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-01-07

| ~ J""'iiA"ple tllttl l. ITalhly aVOW IT,
IL is my heartfelt wish that when the
general assembly is adjourned without
day no man among you may have had
SO far as the speakership is concerned,
any cause for regret or any occasion
for reproach, and to that end bespeak
your friendly cooperation and kindly
forbearance.
| The constitution of Connecticut pro-
Vldes that the governor Shall from
time to time give to the general assem-
bly, information of the state of the gov
| eminent and recommend to their con-
SHERATON such measures as he shall
! deem eXpedient." No such duties de-
volve upon the speaker of the house,
and 1T would be manifestly an intrusion
even by implication to attempt either,
but I do not think 1 shall be open to
the criticism of venturing beyond the
province os the chair if I give brief
utterance to some things which I have
in mind to say touching matters in
which as fellow-members we have a
common interest and concerning which
we may with manifest propriety take
counsel together
] think you will agree with me that
the general assembly of the state of
| Connecticut has of late years somewhat
unduly dragged its slow length along.
The burning rays of midsummer sun
| have biennially fallen upon languid
| legislators, who, beginning their duties
in january with eager zest, have found
/ them in July WEAKNESS to the flesh.
/ 1t seems to me that we can avoid the
! falling upon us of this spirit of heavi-
| ness without in the least degree falling
to discharge our obligations to the
state. The necessary business of our
constituents can be transacted as We'll
in four months as in six. All that is
requisite is to promptly fix day not
more than month hereafter. as the
| last day for the reception of new bust
ness, and having so fixed it, rigidly adj
here to it. In extending and re-eX-
tending the limit for new business, the
| legislature, Judging by an examination
of the journals OF previous sessions,
doth make the meat it feeds on" If
! it be understood that no elasticity in
! this matter is under any circumstances
this year to be expected, all needful
measures will be presented here within
the time appointed, and If we devote
ourselves assiduously in committees
and upon this floor to their considera-
tion we may finally depart hence in
early May leaving nothing undone that
is worth the doing.
| / need hardly say that this is a year
when the state will not suffer if legis-
| lation in some directions should be re-
stricted Your good common sense
needs no intimation that it is not in
accordance with Yankee thrift to reck-
I lessly expend the public moneys at
time when the comptroller's report
shows a deficit of more than quarter
! of million Of dollars and that it will
| be well for us. in so far as we have the
power, to see to II that our disburse-
ments during the next two years shall
be at least no more than our income.
If 1t appears that there are leaks in
the reservoir, so that more water flows
out than runs in, 1t viii be wiser to
stop the waste holes than to search
the hills for fresh sources of supply.
Much proposed legislation, both pub
lie and private in its nature, VIII come
before you in the shape Of bills for
public acts and resolutions, which viii
demand close Individual scrutiny and
thoughtful and unbiased consideration
But I have no sympathy with, and
therefore shall not indulge in, any of
the solemn admonitions which are often
addressed to Legislators, mainly through
the public press, and occasionally also
from the chair the burden of which IS
that members should resolutely close
their ears whenever they leave the leg
islative chamber and not unseal them
until they have again regained their
seats, lest perchance they should over
hear outside these walls some argument
for or against a pending measure. |
iniict no such homily upon you. This
is not monastery nor house of ref
uge, and you are not refuses or weak
lings but men chosen by your fellow
townsmen as qualified to act impartial
~ upon such measures as are brought
before you If 1t be incumbent upon
you to close your ears to suggestions
from without, it might be well for you
to bandage your eyes also lest you
should perchance read one of the many
editorials touching proposed legislation
which some of your would-be monitors,
judging from the past, from time to
time will write and publish with the
| obvious Intent lildl SOu Sildil lNot,
mark, learn, and inwardly digest" and
be influenced thereby. | do not myself
appreciate the distinction between fair
oral arguments used by private indi-
viduals end printed appeals addressed
to members through the medium of the
press. and often. as / have noticed, by
means of marked copies" | find no
fault with either, and ] have only spo-
ken of this matter because | have
grown somewhat weary of these dia-
tribes, which seem in many instances
to be saturated with a lofty self-assur-
ance, as though the author as he wrote
niurmured between the lines, 81 am
holier than thou" and which are de-
rogatory to the individual legislator
and to the fair name of the state. But
If any member shall be so weak that
he fears he will be unduly influenced
by pressure from without to cast his
vote upon any pending measure against
his honest convictions he should forth
with confess his fragility, resign his
seat. return to his home, avoW to his
constituents that they were mistaken
in their estimate of his qualifications
and entreat them to elect a stronger
man.
& 1 do not so lightly and contemptu-
ously weigh the members of this house
C9,,,I, ,N,oT1ca1 tinD' after dine