The morning journal-courier., 1908-07-16
WATCHING THE SMALL TOWN.

WATCHING THE SMALL TOWN.
 The Good Citizenship League of Con- necticut. newly created institution with great possibilities ahead of 1t in the everlasting fight against the poli- tical boodler, has given notice of It's determination to see to 1t that in the approaching election of members of the General Assembly the game is play cd fair. It will give a reward of s75 to the person furnishing evidence of corrupt practices, resulting in first conviction. fin towns of 5000 population and under. The large centers of popu- lation 1t will leave to stew in their own juice if they lack the initiative to get out and protect themselves.
 This league has many of the most reputable citizens in the state as mem bers, who have reached tho conclusion that political corruption exists at the polls because of the failure of public opinion to exert itself. Its militant secretary is the Rev. Walter r. Lamp- hear of Mansfield Center, a man who has gone intelligently at work to learn the tricks of the managing politician. Tn limiting the work of tho league in the pending campaign to candidates for the legislature. the league indicates its preference for small and success ful beginnings instead of ambitious and doubtful undertakings The political corruption of which so much has been heard in the state of Connecticut has naturally found more fertile field in the small towns of the state. This is due to the handy size of tho towns in control of the General Assembly, to the exploitation of them by candidates for office within the gift of the legisla- ture, by public service corporations having special favors to ask, md fin- ally by the princes of the lobby. who could not ply their profitable trade un- less they carried members about in their vest pockets for barter when the critical time comes for bartering.
 The large centers of population in Connecticut offer too large a contract to those interested in tho personnel of the legislature to invite their corrupt interference. Though Q few of them contain a majority of the population of the state, their representatives are in tho minority when it comes to the distribution of legislative favors. The oretically and perhaps automatically the large centers of population control the senate. but practically the sentl- ment of the small town is all powerful there too It Is therefore of the ut most importance that if voluntary organization like the Good Citizenship League is to accomplish anything 1t should keep its eyes on the small towns. That the officials of the league have sensed this necessity, especially in year when United States senatorial eggs are out and special privileges to seek an extension of rights next win ter, is enough to interest good citizens everywhere.
 The Journal-Courier wishes the league every possible success in it's work, not that we should be pleased to learn of convictions but that we be- lieve an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The evil Is not more than half way when patriotic citizens determine that corrupt practices shall stop We wonder, however, if the league realizes just where it's credita- ble efforts logically lands It. The neces- sity for watching the small towns of D. 900 population and under which con- trol the General Assembly, powerful ly suggests something radically wrong in a legislative organization of the state. It is under that organization that special legislation has become a scandal in Connecticut, that offices within the gift of the legislature have gone to the highest bidder, that need ed Improvements in the government it. self have been defeated and that efi- ciency in public office has been made to give way to partisan expediency, By all means watch the polls in the small towns of the state, but at the same time let the logic of the situation car ry the league to it's natural conclu- sion. The best results will not be- come possible in the state of Connec- ticut until the machinery of govern ment Is of the most approved pattern, If they fail to arrive then, the rem edy must be looked for elsewhere than in free institutions