Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-10-13
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Mayor Thoms touched vital spot in his remarks at the democratic rally last week and as q consequence our republican friends will not stop talking about 1t until election is over. It is. the old story of the hit bird futtering, and 1t Is hoped that the mayor and others will keep aim ing missiles at this kind of game until the public sees the unfairness of the system and demands a change. Writing about the matter to-day the mayor expressed his feelings as fol- lows:
 q have noted the somewhat cur ious comment in the Republican on my little discussion upon our local Judiciary. The Republican brings out the very point that wished to emphasize. On every administra- tive board in Waterbury, including the board of assessors and the bu- reau of assessment, provision Is made by law, so that the republican party is represented. In each case the majority party has only one more member than the minority party. But any old plan Is good enough and fair enough for the courts. The result Is that of the thirteen local members of the super for, district and city courts, If in that term Is included prosecuting at torneys, clerks and other. attaches, every one is a republican and an ac- tive partisan.
 Now I have. not questioned the personal integrity of any one of these honorable gentlemen, either. by insinuation or otherwise. When, If ever, I do, I shall, in the phrase of the vulgar, be there with tho goods. Waterbury has already a pre-emfnent reputation as a source of wealth of accusation and poverty of evidence that is unchallenged from sea to- sea, and 1t is not for me to paint the lily or refine pure gold. Our citizens have not as yet arisen and with one voice chanted their appreciation of the honor thus thrust upon us, and there are some un- grateful souls that may, even. vote the democratic ticket next month. However, that is not the point. The republican party has accused us time and time again of lack of re- spect for the judiciary. Respect for authority and especially for that of the courts ought to be taught and encouraged, for 1t is the very foundation stone of civil govern ment. But it is encouraged, built up or developed by utilizing the courts merely as. a, wheel in Q polit- ical machine?
 .Only the other night I read a news account of a, judge in a neigh boring town who presided over his party caucus and made. a red hot partisan speech. Is that good citi- zenship and calculated to teach re- spect for the courts?
 We all remember the convention speech made by the judge of the New Haven county court of common pleas two years ago in the contest for the republican nomination for sheriff Are these things fair and fitting in the judiciary?
 ''I write these things not in a spirit of partisanship or controversy, for I would not be bit better satis- fled If our courts were unanimously democratic. But I do want to sug- gest that the way to insure respect for our local courts Is to so consti- tute them that they will be above suspicion of partisanship or unfair ness, so that they will be aj,le and great and fair enough to command respect. This can never be done as long as they are regarded merely as political asset.
 "The partisanship that can be borne in the discharge of adminis- trative functions is intolerable when found in the courts. I certainly hope to see the day when judicial appointments will be removed from the field of party spells and when those occupying high places of re- sponsibility in our courts will by their abstention from active party politics remove from them the sus.y picion of unfairness and prejudicc which certainly exists in the minds of a great many and in some cases,