The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-21
BRIDLTNG THE 1oRRK


 State commissioners under pay, coun- ty sheriffs and county commissioners, though it makes it unlawful for any person receiving pay from the State for services rendered to work for an other in behalf of desired legislation. It is no violation of confidence to state tha: there has been sufficient evidence at hand to justify special legislation of this character.
 This restriction put upon paid officers of the State and county is so obvious ly precautionary and generally wise that it calls of itself for no extended comment. The feature of it that will appeal to the judgment of men is the feature which in the future will keep al their desks officials who have used their offices for lobbying purposes and their political experience and acquaint- ance as a source of private profit. There may be something more preposterous in theory and practice than the employ ment of State officials to act as Iegisla- tive agents for parties seeking special and privileged legislation, but we do not happen 10 know what it is. There is an old and vindicated saying that it is impossible for one to serve two mas ters and be true to oneself. This ap- plies with full force to the servants of the State. If it is legitimate for State commissioner to use his offices and his political pull for the benefit of q pri- vate interest or public service corpora ton. 1t is legitimate for the governor of the State or any other elected officer to do so. There is no such difference in character between an official elected at the polls and one created by executive act that what is honest for one in con duct is dishonest for the other. In re- fusing 10 draw this distinction the sen ate acts wisely, though senate after senate and house after house have known that the evil practice has been indulged in openly and without rebuke from them. It is pleasant to learn that in the future commissioner will take his official life in his hand when he sells what does not belong to him to another at the sacrifice of the commonwealth. 1
 Even more interesting than the bill 1 itself is the remarkable debate which preceded its passage in the senate. sen- ator Atwater of Meriden wished to | amend it by forbidding these State of- I ficials to accept railroad passes. He that most of the State officials | who would be liable under this act were in receipt of passes from the railroad in control of the transportation busi- ness in the State of Connecticut which they used in spite of the mileage is- sued by the comptroller; that he knew 1f one commissioner who charged up to the State from $7o to $125 for mile- lge though he travelled on a railroad pass. Senator Middletown of Broad Brook opposed the amendment on the astonishing ground that a number of paid employees of the State live in country towns and that 1t would be q hardship for them to be obliged to decline railroad passes Sen ltor Donovan of Norwalk favored the because 1t would relieve State officials of the odium of accept ng passes, as if they had it not within l heir own power to escape from the connection. Senator Me- , iovern of Hartford thought the ( harges serious and the situation justi- I ying them such that an investigation [ vas necessary to aid the general as- [ emhly in applying Q proper remedy. f This appears to have been enough to , olidify the majority who promptly t 'oted down all amendments and c peedily passed the bill as reported c rom the committee. r Those whose memories permit them q 0 recall the enactment of the law f orbidding members of the general as- I embly to accept railroad passes and f roviding for mileage books issued by s he State will smile as they read of ii his. recent debate There have been n t work the same old influences to jus V fly a man in taking something for V othing, the same old argument that 6 ne acceptance of a railroad pass Is no s vidence of the holders moral ire As was clearly shown q hen the law was passed forbidding ;, embers of the legislature to take e asses, the relations between the rail- h ads and the State should be of VI lsiness character all of the time; si lat members of the legislature should n, } transported free from their homes
 the capitol but that the State should " the mileage from the railroad mpany and pay for it; that finally ', ee passes are not given to men in W lblic life for charitable purposes; r at they are given as subsidies pure
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