Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-03-25
EVERYTHING WENT.
Hen Who Appearsd Before Judiciary
 Talked Very Wild.

who carried of the hC4lOrS for telling
 the biggest whopper at the, hearing
 before the Judiciary committee ill Hart
 ford Thursday when half dozen or
 more limbs of the law with senator
 swords regarding the appointment of
 judge of the police court in this city.
 Some hewed pretty close to the line
 while others talked as if they repre-
 scented an Ananias club and wanted 10
 stand at the head of the class. For
 instance Judge Root assured the com-
 nlittee that the reason the back as-
 sessment report came out now was be.
 cause this is the first time Water
 bury has had good administration.
 This was putting it over the plate, so
 much so that even John Kellogg
 couldn't stand for it and he made |
 modest correction, but the judge went
 right ahead as if he had made no mis-
 take. People in Waterbury who know
 the facts will wonder what prompted
 Judge Root to make such an allegation
 as that, especially seeing that he was
 talking for Judge Cole. But this is
 where the public is at sea. Was Judge
 Root talking for Judge Cole? Judge
 Root is no fool and knows that the best
 way to defeat q man is to get folks to
 appear i;l his favor who come away
 leaving the committee under the inl-
 pression that they were very unrelia.
 ble witnesses and that their candidate
 might not be much better. 1t is not
 necessary to go into the history of that
 report. The committee that had
 charge of it was appointed almost a year before the present city adminis-
 tratiOn came Into power and the docu- ment was completed and turned over
 to Mayor Elton's board of finance at
 their first session year ago last Janu- ary. What did they do with it? Isn't it an open secret that they fooled around with it until they could no long CT resist the demands of. the minority representation in the board of alder men and the criticisms aimed at them by the press? The second re- port submitted by the committee didn't amount to anything, but it gave Judge Roots administration a chance to keep it back oyer year and then when they couldn't stave it off any longer the aldermen didn't get it until Colonel Burlyee got through with it.. To say the very least about this, it was pretty low politics. and the word of the man who resorted to it isn't likely to cut much ice with the committee one way or the other. At first though. one would say that Attorney Byrne was i'll error when he said that Judge Root had no business there at all, but after you consider the cock and bull story he told about the report and how it came to be made public, the protest Of SIr Byrne does not appear so ridiculous.
 Viewed from the road, John r. kel- Iogg was close second for first place. His representations regarding the ef- fort made by Colonel Burlee and him self to have the city bring this matter 10 a head were little more dignificd, but probably not much more truthful, than those of Judge Root; but Mir kel- Ogg was talking for an old friend and t was only natural that he should want to make the best showing possi- ole. One would think by the way Mir Kellogg talked that he kept rapping 1t that matter in season and out of season, but if he ever moved hand n that direction the public never taught on and probably that is the 'easOn why so many found fault with he city attorney, for allowing the mat. CT to drag along for eleven months.
 Judge COwell has a record as a pro- 'essional story teller, and he added lew laurels to his reputation at the contest in Hartford. The genial judge ,,n,1o cova,ol hitS hut .bo, tho hncf If all was the one referring to the ime when Colonel Burpee came home rom the Spanish American war, flushed with hOnors." and said this question ought to be set led. This was rich. Judge Burpee lid receive an appointment to posi- ion in the army during the Spanish American war, but the TOW was over " the time he reached Porto Rica, so hat all he had to do was survey ields that had been fought and won y other great men. But of course if anybody had challenged the truth of fudge Cowell's reference to this mat or. he would have cOntended that the 'paniartls got wind of the coming of he gallant soldier from Waterbury and kipped before he had a chance to get
 crack at them.
 Looking at the question in an impar- ial way, no one can help saying that nost of what was said in favor of
 u1ge Burpee did him a lot of injury. 'elling committee that q candidate or judgeship is loyal party man may
 e all right If said in an aside, but it Oes not sound just right when used n open meeting. The holding back of he report was another black eye for 'olonel Burpee. If the present admin stration had trotted it out as it should ave done. the difference would have cen adjusted now and could not he nade club of to knock down Colonel 'urpee with. He has always said he fould pay as soon as the city could how definitely what he owed. Under he circumstances this is all that could ave been expected of him. What. hen. was the object in withholding he report? The only speaker at the caring that gave the colonel boost fas his principal opponent. Judge loot. whose treatment of the history the report was so far from the truth hat the committee cannot afford to ike any stock in the rest of what he aid. The position taken ny Senator eek. Attorney Minor and Attorney 'ronson in opposition to Judge Burpee -as damaging to his chances. and otiIing but the settlement of tic as- nssment question can remove the i'm ression what these men said left on le minds of the committee They ere not there as disappointed poli- clans who felt sore at their friends IT not recognizing their claims to pro