The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-19
THE SONS OF ERIN BANQUET.
KNIGHTS OF ST. PATRICK AND
 FRIENDLY SONS DINE.

Governor Woodruff Talks Plainly on
 State Matters Before Friendly Sons
 Wants to Rid State of School Fund
 Strongly Favors Trial by Jury
 UphoIds the sacredness of the Courts
 Mgr. sIocum Makes Brilliant Speech
 Before Knights of St. Patrick.
 The principal speaker at the twenty second annual banquet of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, held at the H.otel Oneco last night, was Governor Rollin s. Woodruff. In opening his remarks the governor said that he thought 1t his duty to attend as many banquets as he could so that he might meet as many people as possible and extend the glad hand.
 Continuing, he said: There are sev- eral state matters on which 1 desire to speak this evening, both things under the table and on the table. There may be some who do not agree with me in my view as to the way in which county commissioners should be selected. Ever since my first appearance in the senate at Hartford in 1903 have been oppos- ed to the present method. After what saw in caucus I ana convinced that politics should not enter into the mat ter. I know that it will be hard to make the change. because the gentle (men from the rural districts are afraid something will be taken from them. They acknowledge that the present system is not what it ought to be, but they say, Let's keep what we have Surely this is not the principle on which our state affairs should be conducted.
 Then, again, I want to rid the state of the school fund, which now amounts to $20OO,0OO. This is now in charge of commission which has loaned 1t out, largely in the state of Ohio. They are trying to get per cent, but in order to do this they must loan more than the savings banks will loan. The con- troller's accounts show that the state has had to put in $S7OO0 to keep the fund good. Every business man knows that this is not good business policy. The fund should be put into the hands of the state treasurer by making him commissioner of the fund, then calling it in and distributing it where it be- 1 longs.
 "The people of this state have seen all the water that is necessary in pub service corporations. l believe their control should be placed in the hands of an equalization committee. We have recently had an example of street railway line being put upon one of our largest corporations with water enough to flood the state of Connecticut.
 "The matter of trial by jury comes before the judiciary committee for a hearing this week, and I hope the measure will be favorably reported and 1 passed. It Is not 1avorite measure with the corporations, because 1t will change the method of trial in damage suits.
 Then there is another matter which is at present tabled. That is the mat ter of the expenditure of our judges I hold that our courts are the most sa- I cred things in the state, and every means should be taken to keep them free from taint. If you had had the trouble which I have recently had in selecting good, clean men for judges you would not kick on the matter of expense. Every judge should have a salary of $7,5OO. To-day each of our supreme court judges, with the excep- tion of the chief justice, receives 5000 and an allowance of $1,50O for expenses. Many complain that their expenses do not amount to one- third of this Now, I believe that the salaries should be made $7,5O0 and let the judges pay their own expenses. The character of our judges should be too sacred to make them go around with pencil and pad and force them to keep an account of every car fare.''
 Others who spoke were Supreme Knight Edward L. Hearn, Colonel Nor ris c. Osborn, pr. Thomas J. Kilmartin and John J. Splain. The toastmasteI was Attorney Howard Webb. During the evening the Second Regiment band furnished music, and there were also vocal selections by Charles O'Connel and Joseph B. Loughery
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