Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-02
SENATOR KEREEDY,s.B BILL.
He Would Abolish Some Offices and
 Make Officials Earn TheiY. Salary.

He Would Abolish Some Offices and Make Officials Earn Their, Salary.
 The bill introduced by Senator Ken nedy by request in the senate q few days ago to abolish criminal jurisdic- ton in the district court has the sup port of every democrat of prominence in the city. and even though it may not be passed, it will during discussion show up the reckless expenditures of the self so-called guardians of the pub lie funds of this city.
 During the hearing before Judge Wheeler of the superior court of the controversy between the city and the town over the former s claim to a portion of the latter's ap- propriation for town roads, City Attor- ney Kellogg crowned himself before the court with laurels for the part he has played in his estimation. He told the court that city expenditures were so guarded that it was impossible to be reckless or even unguardedly extrav- agant The pretended purpose of object of consolidation put forth by the republicans who are supporting the bill is economy. Representative Lilley. the nominal father of the measure, is fully awake to the fact that the eXtrava gance in the local courts is something unheard of in the courts in other parts Of the state: that the bill introduced hv Senator Kennedy ought to bc passed and that If he lS as honest in dealing with the welfare of the neoDIa as he would have the peo- pIa believe he will take every n"ccan- ticn that # becomes law. This hn will mt do however, 1t would he tn' much to eyrert of him for he Is tied rn neck and haels with the instrn- ments of this ahno~ma' snA rnnecas snrv evnense. the judges who earn .hair ea'arieS Ha is Derfact'v awo"n thnt rrorp Irdrn p~rre-, a denoc-at l,a would have a bill for the ra4?Nc+ion of his salary ot lnaSt onn-hoIf nnd hove that sum % to nay tho ass'~tont il1'~" of the citv cor~t. He is aw"r" thet I''.1~a Prrnaa has not nreSi0nd in tn" city conrt for thren consecutive days sinco January T. and that he has moi r~aSi7nd one who'n wnn|S a'to"cth"" I,,1rn p,,~ona'S colnrv fnr ,1oin~ tho wc,.r- tho 1ar,,+v i-s1~a 1one is go N'h q year R"n"esantativn '''nv '-""v" or ouoht to know. that Ird~o Rnr"o" 1oos not oa~n his Sa1arv. that hn did ,,.+ a,,,, ;t loot 1-oor vo :.- o---~''-- eIllgHteIleu CHI III thS saiSeAAe . court. There the prosecuting agent is paid S1 900 a year. an assistant clerk S6OO year, the tndge S3OO0 and the deputy judge per diem; the latter earns a few hundred year in this court. II is apparent to every '"''-'-"r' '0 f"" c'tv thnt criminal Jurlsulctlon m tne us trict court is not necessary now. The situation when criminal jurisdiction was given it was far different than what it is to-day. There IS not cf''n- inal business enough transacted Ill the district court that would supDly any lawyer his office rent for six months. Yet the prosecuting attorney IS paiN S1 800 a year. nroctica''v nresent o' S1 1,2OO. The civil business of the same court could be transacted in a few months were the court to sit IS the superior court does. Yet the judge of that court is paid $3.oo0. The pros ecuting attorney in the superior cour+ is paid only $6O0, exactly two and a half times less than the same officer in the district court. who does far less work. Exclusive Of the fees of the clerk, the deputy judge and those oi the deputy sheriff, and the city sheriff who receives S3 a day for every day the court sits, no matter though it may only bts a few minutes, it costs the people $5, 100 year, and half the time the court is absolutely closed. Esti- mating the other expenses of the off cers without a salary at $2,5OO, which Is a very reasonable estimate. the dis trict court costs $7, 800 annually. And not a word about 1t from that self-ccn- stituted guardian of the public funds, Representative Lilley.
 One of the objects of the bill in question Is to abolish the office of dep uty judge and prosecuting attornev of the district court, to make the judges of beth the district court and city court do the bus'nee~ they are paid for doing. but which they do not do. and to protect the public funds from the clutches of those who have been sue cessful for a time in pulling inc wool over the nnhlic ontic. Another pro vision of the bill is to insist that the jnd~es of the count. of tue citv court in particular. shall give precedence to the business If tue Deon'1 before he can takn "n his nr'vate offnirs.
 When Rnnrasnototive Ti1'av st~u+r ort on +hn floor of tha canitol in hnra f of his hin for consolidation. he will fn confronted with stntnments like tho above. and he cannot deny their truth.