The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-15


 formed clergyman. or to any other as- socatlon, commercial or professional, but it has proved that since .organiza- tion can be effected so easily a positive danger turks in that method of doing 1t. Out of the inexperience of new mem bers grew the opportunity, and the rep i resentatives of "the controlling inter- ests," as they are indefinitely referred 1 to, were quick to take advantage of it. Such men as Senators Chase of Wa terbury, Furrel of Ansonla, Butter worth of New Haven. Barnum of Sails bury and Luther of Hartford, to men tion few who have been conspicuous during the session of the legislature for sincere and honorable achieve ments and undertakings, could not be deceived again by the cleyerness of the organizers, though easily deceived last Fall. It was only a little bit more braSen than previous organizations, or else the public conscience was a bit more sensitive to the scandal of it.
 But aside from the possibility of the next senate following its own sugges- ton with regard to it's organization, 1t is in order to refer to the action of this senate in virtually confessing that Il improperly permitted itself to be organ ized by the passage of a resolution de- claring that better way would be to leave the job out to the President pro tempore. We do refer to 1t because of its almost complete lack of imaglna- 1 ton. There is no reason whatever to believe that the selection of that of- fcer to do the organizing would materially improve matters He would be the representative of the domln- ant majority and in all likelihood would not receive his election until he had satisfied the demands Of his col- leagues. That would obviously mean the swapping of horses in the middle of the stream without an improve Iment being noted in their breed, It sounds well to say that an old and lworn out method of organizing that dignifed body is about to bs abandon cd, but of what possible use will 1t be If the substitute scheme of organlZa- ton offers exactly the same opportunl- ties for huggermuggering2 If there is to be a change in method, why should it not be that which will promise. so liar as human endeavor can promise anything, an actual improvement in the interest of the public2 Because the selection of the committees by the President pro tempore would be an ad- vance from tweedledum to tweedledee, we say that the senate lacks imagina- ton ip suggesting 1t. No one at all familiar with legislative proceedings would be a moment fooled by the i change, while the public service cor operations, if it is fact that they have an interest in the organization of the senate, would smile contentedly al the new situation.
 A more practical and convincing lchange would be to give the power to the Lieutenant Governor by constitu- tional enactment, which would make it binding upon each senate. as a similar provision makes 1t binding upon the Ispeaker of the house of representa- ltives, to appoint committees in that di- rect and responsible manner. We are told, however, by the present senate that this might put 1t in the power oi a possible Democratic Lleutenant- Governor to appoint the committees when the senate itself might be Re publican. Here again the present sen. ate lacks imagination. What possi- ble harm could Democratic Lieuten ant Governor do under such circum stances? Suppose for example tha such an officer did throw his wit out e the window and organize the senat according to his partisan whim, re gardless of the manifest wisdom of re cognizing the dominant party. Wha would he gain by the wltless under taking? The voting majority woul be still opposed to him and his party and would be able at all times to bloc any legislative conspiracy such
 stupid organization of interests shout conceive of. Even tho mischief whicl might be conjured Up would in no de gree whatever alter the trernendou advantage of having the organization done by an official, who owes his pac to popular favor and who would hesi tate a long time before sacrliclnl the good will of his fellow men. | begins to look as if the present senat, lacked a sense of humor as well as 2 isense of imagination.