The morning journal-courier., 1908-06-11
ILL-CONsIDERED SPEECH.

The people Of the State of Cor lecti-
 cut have recently been called upon to accept as true certain sweeping state ments, which have been unverlfled
 with regard t the corrupting methods used in connection with submarine
 lesislation in the federal house of rep resentatives. The unfortunate phase
 of the charges made is that the mem Der of congress from the State of Con-
 necticut was unable to prove them. The claim is made that the committee did
 not give him a fair chance to do so, but that is yet to be determined in the estimation of men who cannot escape the conviction, that 1t would have been Impossible for any committee of con- gress to permanently and successfully stifle man armed with the facts
 Still another illustration of the dan ger of i'll considered speech was given at the annual meeting of the general Congregational association of the State of Connecticut held in this city Tues day. One of the speakers, who retir- ed that day from the office of modera- tor, said, among other things. that United States Senator Morgan II. Bulkeley is mot @ fit man to be elect ed to the United States senate by req ~ son of his self-confessed actions which t higher ethical standard would not justify" The claimant in this case should have produced his proofs. or he should have withheld his comments for while MT. Bulkeley makes no pretense, that we have ever heard of. of being a saint he is as men go, even in the sen- ate, far more of a saint than sinner. He may not have during the brief term of service there risen to the heights of Daniel webster or Senator Hoar but he has in various ways worked in- telligently and consistently for the general good of his State. From the point of view of ability, eliminating only his lack of experience, he can be favorably compared with most of his predecessors.
 The point we wish to make is that nothing is gained by thus condemning @ man in public station. Senator Bulke- ley is entitled, in any final estimate that is made of his worth, to his rec ord as 1t has been written rather than to the personal Judgment of men. who in other ways look upon the responsi- Utilities of life from different angle. AS & business man his place is secure. l!As citizen of Hartford he has for over quarter of century been fore most in its physical development. The new magnificent bridge across tho Con- lnecticut river is largely the product of his constructive genius. It was largely due to him that the scandalous movement to unload the care of that bridge upon the State taxpayers was averted. The new arsenal at Hartford and the proposed State library will in addition stand as memorials to his everlasting enthusiasm in behalf of the city of Hartford. He was efficient as the mayor of Hartford, and as govern or he will be remembered for his fear less veto of the oleomargarne bill and for his nerve in financing the State in- stitutions during the prolonged dead lock.
 We have no use for Senator Bulke- ley's arbitrary view of political lead- ership, as is shown in his opposition to practically every movement which has for its purpose the betterment of poll tical methods; his avowed views upon the subject of campaign contributions and campaign expenditures are abhor- rent. But when 6 final estimate ls made of his virtues and vices, no such preponderance of the latter will be found as to justify sweeping him from the face of the political map as unfit end unworthy. In other words the vagaries of i'll considered speech in these unfortunate days of incorporate utterance should be carefully avoided. They do not clear the air; they confuse things.