Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-23
COMING EVENTS.
1t Has Been Said, Cast Their
 Shadows Before
ATTORNEY DURANT's POSITION

of g. o. p.-Terms of the Present
 Officers Expire May 1-And Even
 at Work.
 The official scalp of Prosecuting Att torney Durant is in danger. There is possibility that he may lose it. FON some time rumor has been quite busy among the lawyers offices in the Odd Fellows building regarding the official future of Attorney Durant. It has been common talk for months that his career as an officer of Judge Burpee's court will close at tn eexpiration of his present term. which takes place on May 1. Persistent effort failed to get at the source of the rumor. yet gossip was giving continuous performance among the legal fraternity that abidetl ill the Odd Fellows building. Report had it one time that Attorney Church. one of the rising young lights. would not object to stepping into Mir Dur ants shoes, but when spoken to about it Mir Church replied with q smile or a laugh. It is q we'll known fact that MT Church and Judge Cowell are great personal friends and when Judges Bur- pee. Cowell and Bradstreet were mak- ing up their slates for the courts some time ago for preparation for the tu- dietary committee in the lower house. 1t was said then that Judge Cowell put ill q very good word or two for Ar Church to succeed Mir Durant The feelings between Judge Cowell and Att torney Durant are we'll known. SO much so that it will suffice to say here that there is no love lost between them. The judge wanted the senator lal nomination and Mir Durant would not let him have it. and he did not get it. This is ancient history now, but it was necessary to repeat here to illustrate the situation enveloping the public prosecutor.
 This morning q final effort was matl. to get at the exact standing of Mir Durant in the oninion of the powers that be. Judge Rnrpee. who has the glvlng of the office held by Mir Durant.
 "l have not given the matter any attention at all. I have been so busy with other matters,'' said Judge Burpee. "You see. the terms of the clerk and the prosecutor. III fact, my own term as judge also. do not expire until the first of May. l Will say this much. however,. re- sumed the judge. q have heard none but favorable comment regarding Mr McAlahon, the clerk of the court: I cannot say that for the prosecuting officer, Mir Durant That is all I wish to say about the matter at present"
 Would it not be harmful to tbe republican party to not reappoint NFr Durant? Has he not been q strong worker for the party:" the judge was asked.
 That is question. Some say he has been very strong party man. and old great deal of good for the party: others say quite the contrary. How. ever, that is not the stand that ought to be taken in connection with mak@ ing appointments to the city court. It may be very well in theory: I doubt if it would be the proper thing to do in practice. I will say. furthermore. that the view you present was no factor in having either Mir McAIahon or Mir Durant appointed in the first place to positions in the city court. The first consideration is ability.''
 Judge Burpee spoke in this vein to some length, leaving the impression that Mir Durant's official scalp is in danger Such is the reward of fidel- ity to the republican party It pre- SentS striking moral. Time was when Mir Durant was very much sought for by the big bugs of his party. He introduced methods of work that actually startled the old boys. But they were fruitful of good things. The big bugs reaped the harvest True, MT Durant shared in some of it. but now. because he insisted last fall in rewarding himself with the senatorial of his party, he is in dan- ger of being turned away from the fruits of his work. Such is republican. gratitude.
 SECR ETARY HAT DAVIS I'D