The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-22
SURPRISE AT HOUSE ACTION DUE TO IGNORANCE.
Disaffected Senators Spread Mistaken Notions About
 Woman Inspector Bill.

The surprising action of the house
 yesterday in defeating the commission
 feature of the woman's deputy factory
 inspector bill which was so strongly ap.
 proved by the senate last week, can on.
 ly be ascribed to ignorance of the true
 aim or the promoters of the commission i plan. The few opponents of that meas
 ure were so overwhelmingly voted
 down by the great body of the senate
 and the arguments in it's behalf were | so convincing that one opponent after
 another withdrew his opposition and the bill received the vote of every
 member present. All but three of the
 entire thirty-fiye were in attendance.
 It is now learned as fact that since the senate debate the few opponents of the commission plan have been so &C.,
 lively circulating mistaken notions among the members of the house that l the speakers against it practically car
 rid the house with them in so vigorous fashion that the small number who AAAASN ti1O u LAC AlllPOLL Ol lilC pldI W6T6
 not listened to.
 Everyone who has known anything about the course of this bill knows that it's true purpose is greatly endangered if this commission plan is ruled out. That provision was carefully thought out in accordance with advice from some of the leading lawyers in the state as the method best adapted to keep the appointment of the woman inspector out of politics and so insure for all fu- ture time the selection of the right kind of woman. As has been repeatedly asserted, the promoters of this bill would not fear the appointee of the present inspector in whom they have entire confidence, but it is for the pos sible future that this provision is a safeguard. It is this feature which has won the approval of the manufactur- CTS of the state who have openly de- clared that they will be strenuously hostile to 1t if the commission feature is omitted.
 It is important therefore that before the house irrevocably opposes a feature which is necessary to carry out the true aim of the bill, they be informed of the mistaken arguments which brought about their action yesterday.
 It was urged that the women deputy should be under the same authority as the men and that the inspector should have power of removal over her and that the bill presents this.
 And that in general 1t Is a very poor plan to have women mixed up with politics and that this commission would necessarily be.
 The facts are that the commission would have absolutely nothing to do with politics as such and theirs would be only the power to select candidate and nothing more. The inspector can reject as many of their nominees as he finds unsuitable, has sole power of re- moval and the bill expressly declares that: "She shall serve under the direc- tion of said factory inspector in all respects as other deputy inspectors"
 The only difference in the bill as finally passed was that she shall hold office for four years, whereas the men deputies are appointed from time to time. There is no reason why the men should not have the same length of office and an amendment to that effect would doubtless be carried with out objection, but on the other hand there Is no reason why the inspector should not keep his men in office for four years if they are acceptable; so that that slight and unintentional diff ference is of no real importance.
 The other principal argument yes- terday was that those who are pro- noting the bill are pushing it in the interests of some special woman, who has long been selected from outside of the State and that the whole thing is cut and dried and for some ulterior motive.
 We have taken pains to ascertain the facts in the case and learn that this is absolutely untrue There is not only no special person who has been selected but those interested in the bill have not had the slightest intima- ton from the Governor as to whom he would appoint on the commission were it to exist-nor do they care who the commission or the woman inspec- tor may be, if only the aim of the bill may in some way be carried out, namely the appointment for all time of the right kind of woman inspector in Connecticut, a fact which all agree to be of paramount importance in the success of this undertaking.
 Let the house then distinguish itself as the senate already has done, When the appointment of ahe conference comes up, as it will be the case if the senate does not reoede from it's former vote, let the house see to 1t that the men whom they put on that committee understand the true facts of the case, and do not defeat the passage of one of the best measures which has come before this assembly,
 
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