Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1903-02-28
Committee Chairmen Are Rush
ing Business At Hartford.
TWO IMPORTANT MEASURES

4 W. 1MRUh AM MCAoUhE
Will, 1t Is Thought, Take Up Consid-
erable Time When They Come Up
for Action-Reapportion of
Representation Bill and the Repeal
ing of the General Railroad Laws
and Bound to Bring Out the Takers.
Hartford, Feb 2S.-Committee hear
ings before the state Legislature are
Aow being rushed by the chalrheh'
with the result that business ls being
expedited rather more than has Deen
usual at this time i'll the year. 1t Is
now expected that most of the commit
ices win be through with their work
by the middle of April. The session,
therefore, promises to be unusually
brief. though two matters of lmpor-
lance, over which there is considerable
struggle. will take up some time When
the committees report upon thea.
One of these is the proposed reappor-
tionment of representation IN the
house. There has been as yet no ex-
ecutiye session of the committee on
this matter, but there is every indica-
ton that the report from that commit
tee will be hurried through by Chair
nan Robert Scoyille of Salisbury, who
has conducted the entire series of hear
ings on the question in systematic
way. He announced Thursday that
the final hearing on representation re-
form would be held on Wednesday af-
eernoon Of next week, at which all
speakers from all parts of the state
would be heard. A number of promi-
nent ex- unconstitutional convention mem
bers have stated their intention to be
present at that hearing, and the last
work outside of the legislature this
year will then be spoken.
The extraordinary lack of interest
! shown in the hearings before the COM
mittee on constitutional reform this
year has been a subject of much COM
ment. The hearings from the larger
counties were fairly well attended, but
those from the thinly populated coun-
HES brought out a baker S dozen of
speakers. Wednesday and Thursday
afternoons the committee sat for not
more than five or ten minutes, hearing
on each afternoon but a few speakers.
Compared with the largely attended ses-
sions two years ago the hearings this
year have brought out surprisingly lit
tie argument on either side., The speak
ers have generally divided into three
classes thus far, one, and greatly in the
majority, favoring the so-called Chat
ield plan, which gives one representa-
tive to- each town and one to each new
senatorial district; another favOTing the
governer's plan of sliding scale; the
third favoring no change from the pres
ent arrangement.
The second important measure which
will take considerable time at the end
of the session is the proposed repeating
OF the general railroad laws, for the
purpose of making it impossible in, the
future for railroad companies, either
steam or electric, to organize and build
under the present laws without going
to the general assembly for special
charters. The occasion for this meas
ure Is said to be the organization of the
proposed new third railroad from
Hartford, through Middletown to New
Haven, which Is being financed by a
Boston company 1t is understood that
very strong opposition to this road
has developed, and that the trolley
roads and steam interests are together
in the effort that will be made to make
such organizations impossible in the
future This measure will be among
the last to be taken up by the railroad
committee and will be derce1y fought
out when it Is reported Following the
report of this bill will come the old
fight over the Connecticut Western
road, which is not specially chartered
by the Connecticut legislature, and
which, should the general laws be re.
pealed, will be unable to extend its line
as 1t now has the power to do.
The main feature Of this weeks bust
ness in the house was the fight over the
appointment of William H Comley as
judge of the city and police court OF
Bridgeport. The committee report ia
voring this appointment was rejected
In the house on Wednesday, the demo
Gratis voting solidly against it, beins
led by Mr. Bissonnette of Bridgeport
the majority of the republicans re
framing from voting. Thursday thei
lction was reconsidered, and Ions
fight ensued on the floor of the house
the democrats urging that Mr. Comley
be defeated because a deal had beer
made by which he was to resign afte
two months service" the republican
speakers claiming that "the only oppo
sition against Mr. Comley was from
trades unions who had suffered by on
Of his convictions OF a union man VIII
had assaulted 'scab.'" The matte
was referred back to committee and
new report is now to be expected mex
week.
SPANISH SHIP GROUNDED.