New-York tribune., 1901-12-08
CONNECTICUT TOPICS.
CONSTITUTION MAKING-WORK OF THE
LAW AND ORDER LEAGUE-RlNER
NAyJGATIO\ CLOSED EARLY.

,, ;s tho unpermost topic In the discussion of
state affairs just now. The organization Oh 'lie
coming convention will be of the simplest sort'
iudging from the temper of the Leading oeesale''
) and if is expected that ex-Chief Justice Andrews
who has also been Governor of the State VIII oe
! chosen as moderator, if he Will consent 10 ac'
He has many qualifications for the place and "ouio
have the entire confidence of the State in Wnate'ei
nosition in the convention may be assigned TO hlH
! II would be an honorable close to noteworthy
career in political and judicial history OF the
State II is probable that place hunting Tor cerh-
! shps has been checked, the announcement py sew
eral prominent delegates that they would prefer
that the example of the convention OF 1918 De ioi
| lowed and the clerks chosen from the convention
having met with approval throughout the otate-
! Aside from the discussion in regard TO cnaheihs
the basis of representation in the General Asseo9
other topics have been brought before the people
There is a strong sentiment in sections razor
ing an elective Judiciary, but this Will oe met ps
a sentiment directly opposed to it and IN faVor Oh
longthening of the judges of the Superior
Courts eight to twelve years and by the sus-
oestion that all of the judges shall be appointed
rather than nominated by county Representations
and confirmed by the General Assembly The pres
ent system of naming judges OF the court oi
Common Pleas and police judges has developed
political scandals almost every year OF the sessions
the Legislature, and there will be an enort TO
have this offensive political strife over the Judiciary
removed incidentally there have been two edl-
lions the present constitution published one oy
XOOEerHOf BulkeleS, WHICH bttii ~
ex-Congressman Lewis Sperry, and has been care
fully edited with amendments placed properly
and .ll the relations of the document brought Out
clearly 1t is valuable and timely publication, and
! il has been thoroughly done. George NJ clark, or
Haddam. for many years prominent in the General
Assembly. has also published an edition. Both Oh
these publications intended by those responsible
for them better to aCquant the people or the state
with constitution for the purpose of impress
ing them that it is a very good document. as II
Irr-Ilr and Mr.
prominent in opposition to the convention. MI
| Clark is delegate to the body and will doubtless
be heard from in strong support of what the rural
towns desire.
| The Law and order League has been particularly
busy in this city for the last month. placing It's de-
tectives in suspicious resorts and in the presence
of Mayor HARRISON and other citizens has diVuiseu
conidentelIy what Ii has discovered. The inference
Is that It will act whenever the officials of the city
come It's support. and that then there may De
revelations IN regard to the morals OF the city
that will not be pleasant reading In the affair
of the prlzefghs the league distinctly says that it
hne no more power than any body OF individuals,
than any individual and that II is not in position
to take action against the continuance OF the
matches Consequently it Will not. as 1t is under
stood. interfere with them, except to aid local
authorities in providing evidence as to their char.
acter The public sentiment of the State has not
as it hss been on thes@ lights and if they should
! continue there is doubt that the General AS
;
them Secretary Thrasher Of the league has made d.
lengthy report 10 the citizens OF Hartford @ in IN
fight and while he places his hope for the future on
prosecutions can be brought under the present law
and that the contest can be proved to be nsnr.
night by the police shows that whatever con
/ wifi be closely watched
River navigation has closed earlier this year than
any year since 1852, the severe storm Of Tuesday
night fining the river with masses OF noatlng sho"
and ice, and the following cold weather making ice
accommodations that could not be overcome ne
has been unusually prosperous ana II h hht
handlers in the New-York Yards OF the
roads Freight from and to Newly ork which would
, barges and the river was a busy place for about
two weeks The steamboat line is regardsd & as. as a
but this time il patroniZed by the railroad 10
a great extent
Indoor baseball Us played by the military leagues
in the state has received something of "A setback
because of the order OF uartermaster General
Newton forbidding the of the drill sheds or
the State armories for the games. iheTe mas Deen
some excitement among the rank and hle over TINS
order. but it was undoubtedly wise one as the
property of the State in the armories was being
Inaitreated by the players. The officials of the
of rules which will remove the oo!ectlons OF Cen
,raI Newton, and il they meet his approval the
vision of Il commissioned officer who VIII be pres
enforce the rules far as the protection OF
ular in the cities where there armories and
General Newton has no desire TO deprive the boys
OF their sport but insists that it shall be properly
conducted.
The trustees OF Wesleyan University. at Middle
town have given their official sanction to hi
! centennial celebration of the birth of John Wes-
lay and a joint committee of the alumni faculty
and trustees is to arrange the details The cele-
bration he held in June, 1905 Wesleyan is
the oldest Methodist college in the country. and
it is expected that large amount Of money will
needed for the university. II is hoped that there
viii be ready response from all rarts Of the
country TO the call that will be sent out In the
course of few months.