Putnam patriot., 1908-12-25
Clumsy Work by Legislature.

President Flavel <. Luther, ef Trini. ty College, recently gave an address on "The Ghnfch in Politics, and what he says about the Legislature should make deepiimpression on the mind of every citizen, IS he has served one term and has been elected to serve an other. There is evidently going to be n change i'll the method of securing the administration of public affairs so that the people shall have direct voice in whatever k done, as they do not have now.
 In beginning his address President Flaeel said that our ancestors would be surprised II they could see the way We ate now living. They would doubt less be astonished could they but see the parish houses of the present day with their bowling alleys, card rooms and smoking rooms. They would he some what surprised by finding that there was d Church Baseball League | in Hartford. While all of these things were not in line with our ancestors thought, they were for the hetterment | of our physical natures. He said that by a peculiar lack of sagacity on the part of majority of the voters of the First Senatorial District he WAS two years ago also this year, elected as the Senator from that district to represent them In the Senate. He was elected as a Republican, and supposed he was one, and Is one still
 He expected to attend the sessions l this winter, but he witnessed in the | last session what he considered de- cidedly clumsy way of doing business. | He knew he made as many mistakes as anybody and voted on as many bills that he did not know anything about as the next one, but he did il because | the system had not yet been outgrown and he thought IL was time It was changed. Half of the session is spent in getting acquainted and the other half In regret,ing that you are 50 well acquainted. Bills are voted upon that the Senators do not understand, and il Is wonder that the Legislatures do mol do more harm than they do. He had no criticism to make of any legis- iator; they were simply sthe outcome of the system that has been in vogue for years.
 1 President Luther said he was great ly in favor of the commission way ot doing the States business, as that WAS The way successful corporation basi- ness was transacted, and the time would come N hen the State ot Connec- ticut would get the right men and pay them money enough to do the work of the State in a systematic and business
 like manner,
 Churches should back up all the ne- ccssary reforms that will make our po-
 litical life better, and also the educa- tional methods that will alone right
 many Of the evils that exist and make things cumbersome today. Americans try 10 do too many things at time. ! As an illustration he told Inc story oi
 the man who. when asked If he played
 the violin, replied, that he had never tried, but he supposed he could. That man was probably an American.
 President Luther said he did not be.
 lieve in a state church, but he did hs'-
 liese in religious stale where there was church that interests itself in state matters. Neither did lie like to see people all thinking alike, for that
 stopped human progress, and only
 backward steps could he taken ln this
 manner. Disagrcelng about things eli eits truths that are valuable to both churches and politics. He hoped the churches will eniighten their members