The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-04-10
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
4 ANO7HER HERRING ON THE CON- 4SIITUTIONAL CONVENTION BILL.

BiIl to CurtatI Powers of the Law and
 Order rLeague-Senntor Kencniy Favor.
 State ConstabuIary-Rep Re.
 ceivcd from Committees Yesterday
 Bills Passed.
 The special joint committee to which l was referred the bill for the calling 7of
 constitutional convention held anoth- | CT largely attended hearing yesterday 1 afternoon in the hall of the house. A
 number of men prominent in the state
 were present, including ex-Governor Bulkeley, John G. Patterson, ex-Speak-
 CT of the House Brandegee, Colonel N.
 G. Osborn, and Congressman N. D.
 Sperry
 MT. Patterson was the first speaker.
 He replied to the question asked him at | the last previous hearing by Senator | Langdon, chairman of the committee. The senator asked if the present sys- l tenn representing the so-called Cohnec- | ticut system was not system of town representation MT. Patterson spoke at length, holding that the system was a system of representation of electors, in
 theory, and not of town representation, , and submitting strong argument in support of his position.
 The next speaker was ex-Speaker of the House Brandegee. who made a strong speech in favor of reform in the
 system of representation. He favored
 amendment after the manner provided
 for i'll the present constitution, If pos-
 sible, otherwise he favored submitting
 the question to the people for popular
 vote, and thenBff favorahly voted upon
 to constitutional convention. He said
 that the only4 logical position for the
 party in the state to take was in favor
 of equality of the citizens, not in favor
 of system whereby one man In the
 town of Union is equal to 1-250th of
 man in New Haven. He thought that
 the party should act before it was too late. He said that if the party did not act now while it is in an overwhelming majority in the state the time would come soon when it would lose the op- portunity to act and he did not wish to be understood as making any threats.
 MT Fisk of Gulford made q long speech in favor of the present system and opposed any. change. He thought that the government of the state was safer in the hands of the men from the country than 1t Would be in the hands of men from the cities. The state had prospered under the present system and he could see no reason and didn't be- lieve that there was any reason why the system should be changed. He as- sailed the reformers fiercely and ques- toned the sincerity of their motives
 Colcnel N. c. Osbcrn of New Haven spoke briefly in favor of the calling of 9 constitutional convention. The committee adjourned at o'clock and just before iadjoufnment ex-Governor Bulkeley stated that, x-Mayor Hyde of Hartford desired an opportunity of be- ing heard before the hearings before the committee were closed, Another hearing will be held to-day in the hall of the house, beginning at o'clock this afternoon.
 The committee on humane institutions yesterday decided to hold next week another hearing on the bill to provide that the sole authority of establishing a hospital for contagious diseases in New Haven shall be vested in the board of health.
 Rather shorter sessions than usual | were held in both the House and Sem ate yesterday. In the Senate Senator Kenealy moved that the Senate concur | with the House in the rejection of the bill providing that Law and Order | league officials shall not operate in any | town without request of the local offi- | cials.
 Senator Kenealy said that the bill | would destroy the purposes for which | the league was created. If he was dis | posed to blot out the league he would | do so by repeating its charter instead of | going at it in this underhand way. In | his judgment the league has no proper | place in the jurisprudence of Connecti- cut. It is not credltable to the state that an organization for the enforce ment of tie criminal laws should be by the voluntary contribu- lions of the good people of the state. It is supported by good people whose only object is to enforce the Jaw. It s not credltable that there should be , necessity for a demand for the en- 'orcement of the laws by private cor ooration. Until something is done he 'avored the continuance of the work of he league. Connecticut should have a state constabulary to take the place of he Law and Order league, and be sub ect to the state authorities. Until we lave some such officers the league ;hould be continued. The bill was re- ected in concurrence.
 The judiciary committee reported ad- 'ersely on the bill for amendment of 'pec.al franchises of corporations. Sem itor Kenealy explained that it was ncdeled on the New York law, and no . ,etter than the Connecticut system. The Jill was rejected.
 Favorable report was received from he committee on interpretations on the 'etltion for amendment of the charter f the New Haven Surety company, and he resolution was tabled for the calen lar and printing. The committee on cities and boroughs { eported adversely on the bill amending Waterbury city charter requiring ad- cruising for contracts only when the