Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-06-20
"GOD BLESS CONNECTICUT"
With These Words the Legis- lative Session of 1908 Ended.
Over Two Hundred Acts Were Passed at the Session-The Governor Praised the Members for the Amount and Quality of the Work Turned Out.


 the Members for the Amount and
 Quality of the Work Turned Out.
 Hartford, June 2O.-With God bless the state of Connecticut" solemnly pro- claimed from the speakers rostrum Thursday afternoon, the sessions of the legislature of 1903 came to close. For over five months the two houses have met at the Capitol, three times a week usually, sometimes four, yet it took five full months of labor to get through the business of the present session. This lengthy session was referred to with regret by both Speaker Kenealy and Governor Chamberlain Thursday after noon, as it was against the expressed wish of both at the opening of the ses- sion. Otherwise both the speaker and the governor spoke most enthusiasttcal- ly of the work accomplished at the ses- sion.
 Two hundred and five public acts were passed at the present session of the legislature, and great mass of private acts, among the latter fifty-two street railway petitions.
 Of the public acts. quite a number were of a nature providing for state aid for the towns of the state Tn this class was the bill for state aid for towns with railroad indebtedness. This measure provided that towns whose grand list is under $2,0O0, GOO may apply to the state for aid, which may pay an- nual1y i per cent of such railroad in- debtedness. providing that the town it. self raises by taxation an equal amount toward the paying off of the principal. Several bills of an educational nature had state aid to the small towns as q fundamental principle. One of these, and the most important. provides that every town with grand list under $5OO,000 may annually receive from the state sum which will enable the town to expend $25 for each pupil, such sum to be paid toward the salaries of the teachers only. Another school bill of a similar nature Is to the effect that any town not maintaining high school shall pay the transportation of any child to a town where a high school is located. the state to pay 50 per cent of the cost of such transportation. Still another bill provides that the state shall pay the whole or part of the tui- ton of scholars of any town attending a private or endowed academy in an other town. Still another measure passed provided that two or more towns may unite to employ school su- perintendent, whose salary shall be di- Yided between the towns and state.
 Among the bills of q general nature passed by this assembly the following may be noticed:
 Bills to the following effect: Estab fishing a commission to safeguard the Capitol; that the militia may be called out for national duty for nine instead of three months, as at present; provid- ing for second state insane hospital at Norwich, with an appropriation of $100,O00; providing for new state normal school at Danbury; providing for the establishment of a state natural history and geologi- cal survey, with an appropriation of $3,000; providing that no auto motor vehicles may be run with out license and registered number; providing that specifications for good roads Improvements shall contain or ders for planting of shade trees by se- lectmen and highway commissioners creating a state board of embalming examiners; changing the incorporation law so that all corporations shall make returns to the secretary of the state l so that requirements for organization shall be less stringent; so that $1 ,OOO and not 20 per cent of capital stock must be paid in before doing business and so that the franchise stock is here after to be paid on the minimum capi- tai stock only; increasing the salary of the chief justice of the supreme court to $6.50O, and the associate 1 judges and all superior court judges to $6,OOO providing that cities shall be liable for damages done by mobs per riotous uprisings; providing that in case of riots sheriffs may call in any number of depu- ties; providing that physi- clans of other states may practice here on license without examination; pro- viding for death penalty for attempts to kill the president of the United States or any foreign ambassador in l Connections; establishing a state re- l formatory for men, with an appropria- tion of $50,000; appointing probation l officers for the minor courts and juve- nile courts; defining prize fighting so as to make any encounter with knock out blows illegal; establishing state police department, with superintend- ent and six officers, and abolishing the I office of state fire marshal.
 l As important a matter as any that was taken up by this legislature was the redistricting of the senate in ac- cordance with the demand of the state at large expressed at the polls. The senate was redistricted into 35 sena- torial districts, the counties to have the following apportionment: New Haven
 10, inlcuding New Haven city 4
 Waterbury 2; Meriden l; Hartford
 z, including Hartford city B
 and New Britain 1, New London 8 1 Fairfield z, including Bridgeport 3
 Windham 2, Litchfield 3, Middlesex
 and Holland l. The attempt to grant
 Holland county one extra senator failed
 of passage, the senate first granting
 the addition and then receding and
 concurring with the house, that gave 4 Holland but one, on constitutiona Il grounds.
 I At the same time with the passage