The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-30
Wednesday, December 20. 1908.
POINTS or vrnw.

The election court continues to ex-
 cite popular interest and provoke fleet
 ing comment. Being the first court of
 its kind to slt in ths state as well as in
 this country, 1t Is natural that 1t !. should he closely watched It may \ point the way to such an amendment of corrupt practices legislation every
 where as 10 provide a surer protection against the political corruption which
 Is of course the only aim of the court
 and its only defense
 Surprise continues 10 be expressed
 that the Connecticut law should have
 passed through the hands of SO many
 competent lawyers without encounter
 Ing the exposure of It's alleged uncon-
 stitutionality. As it was originally
 presented to the general assembly it was somewhat crude in form and was
 referred back to it's authors for further perfection. This first bin passed sue
 cessfully the scrutiny of the judiciary !, committee of which Senator Stiles Jud- son and Representative Kenealy were irwanE The sconr s'n which vas
 s.sS s..dment offered by the commits
 ron appointed by Governor Roberts to
 inuuire into the whole subject, and
 which is the law now under consldera
 ton, passed successfully the scrutiny \ sM the two distinguished lawyers who Mere on the commission. and of sena.
 for Walsh and Representative Banks, < swho were the chairmen of the | Judiciary committee It Is surprising
 that with this history back Of 1t a
 setious attempt should now be made to
 attack it's constitutional integrity. If N successful it may make common people
 nuspcious of the lawmaking capacity 'lof lawyers
 H The question has been asked, who is Enhancing the "attack' on MT Lilley latt is surprising to see the query put In pthls form Tho enforcement of a law, 4 which was deliberately enacted for the proclaimed purpose of purifying poll- ties and making it. if not impossible
 dangerous to indulge in corrupt prac- atices, can under no conceivable con 1 ditions be construed into an attack" on an individual Obviously 1t Is an l moving and irritating to an official ] elect to have his acts while candidate | brought under investigation, but the
 law says that in order that the state II may protect itself against political cor f ruption it may Investigate alleged vio- { lations and infractions It does not 1 say that an official -elect may be "at- \ tackled" It rather proceeds upon the SHheory that whatever the temporary nnoyance oficials-elect may be sub t.fcted to, their ultimate compensation Zones from the establishment of their \ innocence and their consequent higher | elevation In public opinion. The law rig. atter 2 very definite thing, the cx- istence of which Is known of all men, and 1t Is not within its province to let sentimental consideration control it's actions It is the public good which Is Y all of the time in the mind Of the Y state, not private contentment
 Still another curious point of view is presented in some quarters. Now that t is reasonably certain that the gov ernor-elect will be inaugurated he Is |. warned of tho need there Is for him to proceed with more than ordinary po- litloal vigilance An alert and sin pularly hostile element" is "lined up against him, "eager to trip him and find fheir own vndicaton in his fall" More than that this malicious element Twill "clearly scrutinize' every appoint ment "and an unworthy reason for if will be sought if possible Why should any citizen of the state want the gov ernor to trip and fall? What possible satisfaction can be extracted from a fall which cannot take place without iniuring tho good name of the com- ,molwealth? Isn't it intelligent to as- Hume that the will of the people Is &C., \ uiesced in and that the future Is free
 om pit fails placed there by hostile