The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-09
NEGLECTED LEGISLATION. :;

N60ACGLED LEGISLAI1Ufs Ar'Np
The Hartford correspondent of The
Journal and Courier alludes in a letter
printed elsewhere in to-day's issue to
the futility Of political platforms, which
invariably promise the achievement of
the things the people say they want
and which in many, many instances is
never redeemed. This session of the
General Assembly Is no stranger to that
practice as the Republican convention
which preceded it was no stranger to
the habit of making fine promises.
Again the State has for its enjoyment
the spectacle Of neglected legislation.
A striking Illustration Of the truth Of
this is the postponement Of the pro-
posed employers liability act and the
act undertaking to establish a trade
school, until another session. In the
case Of the employers liability act the
Republican platform specifically prom
ised' it's adoption and Governor wood
ruff, taking the convention as seriously
as he did himself, urged its enactment
in his inaugural message. In the case
of the proposed trade school that came
to this legislature as legacy from the
General Assembly in 1905, which receiv-
ed vt from competent commission, APP
pointed by Governor Roberts, with its
endorsement. On that commission was
o practical manufacturer In the person
Of Max Adler of this city, an Industrial
leader In the person Of j. Fl. White
more Of Naugatuck and a leading law
yer In the person Of former Congress-
man sperry of South Windsor. Refer
ring these proposed acts of legislation
to a legislature vet to be elected in
wolves a confession of legislative weak
ness which ought not to be lost on the
public, and which ought to materially
influence the gentlemen whose task it
will be to draw the next Republican
State platform.
In addition to these two proposed
acts Of major Importance, which have
thus far run up against the inefficiency
Of the General Assembly. is that seek
ing the Improvement of the corrupt
practices act and another undertaking
to have a commission appointed to take
under consideration the enactment Of
general utility commission law IT is
possible that the former may in more
or less mutilated condition crawl out of
the committee this week and be given
a lease of life. 1t is hoped that the same
thing may be true Of the proposition to
have commission to look into the util-
tiles commission. But even If this
proves to be the outcome of the week
1t viii only slightly diminish the rec
ord Of the General Assembly for inef-
ficenoy and neglect. The plain truth is
that had the legislature buekled down
to its work early in the winter it would
have been easily possible to enact each
one OF these legislative enterprises
into law. If we are not mistaken the
corrupt practices report and bill were
ready for the general assembly the
moment it was organized. The trade
school report was awaiting its organic
alton. 1t would have been the work
Of but few weeks for the proper
committees to frame the needed bills
to cover the other two recommends
tons.
There are two points of consequence
involved in this discreditable record
The first is that political parties
should be held accountable by the peo-
pie for their failure to redeem the
promises they voluntarily give. No
matter what part political platforms
have in the past played in the life of
the State, the fact that party organ
ization feels itself safe to abandon
them at pleasure in this day and gen.
GRAFTON is of itself sufficient to justify
the elimination from the public life of
the State Of the political agents Of the
people who are responsible The man
who makes promises and breaks them
is discredited by his associates who
Withdraw from association with him.
AS political parties are but associa-
tions Of men they should be COMPEL
ed to submit to the same degradation
when they bear false witness. The sec
ond point is that Connecticut must be-
gin TO breed race of legislators, men
who understand and know the State,
and who are willing for the sake Of the
State to make the necessary sacrifices
in its behalf. 1t is disgraceful that
the general assembly should be in ses-
sion to-day when ordinary industry
and knowledge of the science of gov
ernment would have led it to an
adjournment by the first Of May at the
outside. We are not looking for nor