Waterbury Democrat., 1901-10-30
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
MT Guilfoile Thinks Delegates Will Aim for Home Rule.

Aim for Home Rule.
 Representative Francis F. Guilfoile, the democratic candidate for delegate to the constitutional convention, was asked this morning in what respects he thought this community ought to be given the attention of the conven- ton. He said that in a general way this city differs ill no respect from the conditions enyeloping other large cit ies in the state, particularly those that have been sliced up to bring about the realization of political ambitions of the minor lights of the republican party, and which otherwise could not be at tained Mir Guilfoile thought that home rule would be the principal ob ject that delegates from the large cit ies to the convention would aim for. These cities are mainly governed now at Hartford or by the rural representa- | tives in the lower house of the assem- bly,, and if home rule was restored, or | some semblanee of it more than at present pertains, a good deal would be accomplished
 The main difficulty is with the Tn ral representative. They interfere | ln matters that they know nothing, or at least very little about, regarding the cities, while the representatives from i the large towns and cities never inter- fere with the affairs of the small l towns. When bill relating 10 any thing concerning q small town is in- troduced i'll the house the representa- | tiyes from the cities and the large 1 towns inform themselves upon it, anG l 1t follows as a matter of course, any | way, that the city man would natur- ally know more about the needs of the ] country than the farmer would know about the needs of the city. But the way matters are conducted is about this: Those interested in d bill inform the rural representative that it is of importance to such and such q city that the bill be passed and the rural representative goes no further into the matter and takes favorable action upon it. This is the way the rural representatives pass laws for the cit ies. A bill enacting a referendum would do away with such business. Every bill pertaining to any commu- nifty should first be presented to the people of that community.
 ..The law by which corporations can default case ought to be amended. The defense for this law is that it was fact or had become q custom before it had become law. Yet no one seems to be acquainted with it's origin
 
 or know anything about it. Those who claim that law ought to be amend ed deny what the others say, that q default was not known of until ir became law. This matter could cas- fly be amended by adding few words to the statute. The plaintiff against a corporation ought to be given chance before his peers as well as the corporation defendant A jury is T of the plaintiff as well as the defend ant All that is necessary to default now is for the defendant to show he was not guilty of negligence and that the plaintiff was. The case then goes before the court and usually only nom- 1nal damages is aWarded-about S25 or S50 for the loss of a relative or friend by the negligence of a railroad company or any other corporation.
 'The law of injunction ought also to be amended. No judge has the right to deprive an accused of the priv ilege of trial by jury. This was gen. orally recognized until within com paratiyely few years, when organized labor became a prominent factor in public affairs. Then some judge over stepped the limits of his power and so other judges followed his example un-
 
 precedent for judge to issue an in- junction on the slightest cause.
 '.The power, or rather the lack of power, of the governor of the state ought to demand good deal of atten- ton from the convention. Actually he has none at present. His almost every act must be endorsed by the legisla- ture before it can become effective. am ill favor of the executive appoint ing the judges of all the courts. or have them selected by the people. The present system of having them appoint ed by the legislature is entirely wrong, and I must say that many of the re- publicans and senators from New Ha- ven county are of the same opinion. In the last legislature there were from New Haven county IS republicans and 15 democrats. Though the latter represented the majority of the popu- lation of the county they had no voice in the caucuses that nominated the judges of the inferior courts or what ever other appointments that were to be made. It is an open fact some of those who took part in the caucuses of New Haven county representatives will say the same, that the best men were not always selected for office. The representatives could not make
  in whatever place the appointment was to be made made the selection. No one seemed to attempt to disguise this fact
 T believe also that the county com missioners should be appointed by the governor or elected by the people. The office is executive in it's power and ought to be taken out of the hands of a party caucus. These are the main things which at present should demand the attention of the constitutional con vention. The representative of the small town is scared out of his wits with fear that his representation may be reduced or cut off altogether But I do not think so. 1 believe the rural representative is honest and will see the necessity of recommending at the convention many of the reforms which are needed in communities like Water bury"
 LARGE NUMBER TOOK SUPPER.