The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-08-12
THE WEEKLY JOURNAL, YwsuedA Thursday. One Dollar Year.
4 sree EsT1yE SYMPOSIUM.

SUGG ESTTVE SYMPOSIUM.
 It will not be the fault of members of the State senate for 1907 if popular judgment finds itself unable to alight | securely with regard to the character and quality of the legislature which | As not sensationally breaking into his tory. There is pretty free disposition to talk out of school and to ignore school hours altogether, and If the newspapers of the State continue to loan the use of their columns to the disputants, as they appear most willing to do, 1t will be but a short time be- fore we shall all know for fact what Is now accepted as a well grounded suspicion, that there, has rarely been legislative body in the State of Con necticut which did less to deserve grat- itude, though crowded with opportuni- ties to do much.
 It was during a heated term session of the Senate that two of it's members, Senator McNen of Bridgeport and Sem ator Judson of Stratford, took the com monwealth into their confidence and admitted that the chamber of which they were distinguished members was organized, not according to the legis- 1r+ In of fIa to ta personified by the senators, but accord ing to the needs, real or fancied, of the New York, New Haven and Hart ford Railroad company. The two gen. tlemen were not in accord with the ex- act nature of the errand which took them to President Mellen's house, one contending that his companion sought personal favors, the other contending that he sought merely to have the rail- road cease from interfering in the sen- ate's organization. Both, however, un- < consciously admitted that they were satisfied that the New Haven Railroad company was the power behind the throne. MT. Mellen's silence has made it impossible to go farther with this phase of senatorial revelation. Senator Luther of Hartford has added his view of things to that previously expressed and 1t is to the effect that he saw no offensive lobbying during the session and was on the whole immensely pleas- ed with his winters experience, though still doubtful of his usefulness in halls of legislation. Now Senator Atwater of Meriden has made savage attack up- or the faithful twenty-three senators who were always at the call of Lead CT Walsh and who Atwater says were the creatures of the railroad. Who Is next to take the stand we cannot say, though from some of the things which are being said about Senator Atwater's motives in seeking the shoals and deep soundings of Connecticut statesman ship 1t Is not unlikely that he has ad- ditional revelations to make.
 We are inclined to think that of all the statements made by members of the General Assembly those made in The Journal and Courier in it's satur- day issue by Senator Butterwerth will pest bear the test of examination. If is his conviction that the presence in that body of men who seek first their own political advancement instead of the well being of the State makes steadily for the discouragement of men who would otherwise gladly accept seats therein. As he says, 1t is inevi. t9ble that self-seekers should break In. to the General Assembly, but if Is a reflection nevertheless upon the polItI. cal character of Connecticut as well a. upon it's political system that the, should so dominate as to neutralize fl not eliminate the earnestness of earn. IldHHGQ aS ator Butterworth suggests would not have permitted peevlsh view of Gov. ernor Woodruff's leadership to befoe its judgment and then direct 1t to neg. feet matters of popular interest and concern in order to exhibit its peevish. ness The freedom with which tn, counsel for special interests or mem bers of the lobby have at all time used the floor of both houses in orde to the more infuentially direct legis latioa has been a scandal More thal once in the past a movement has beer undertaken to forbid those not mem bers using the floor during the session but 1t has never come to anything Those who have wanted to use 1t hay been powerful enough to stave off ac