Norwich bulletin., 1909-08-20

ness today, though there are many
members who fear that adjournment
sine die will not De POSSIBLE on Tues
day next, to which time both branch
es stand adjourned. The house clear
ed up all its business and now waits
upon the senate which has considera-
bic business to consider and dispose
of, some of 1t to go back to the house.
30 there matters stand
House uncovers a Real "Joker."
real Joker in legislation was un-
covered in the house, when the act
20 validate certain omissions and ir-
Irregularities was put upon its passage.
Representative Chapples of Guilford
found In the long bill reference to GER
tain oyster lands in the harbor of New
Haven. As he was a member of the
committee on shellfisheries, he reeog
nized an attempt TO obtain in the val
idating act something that had been
refused by his committee Thereupon
Representative Peck of Stratford NOV
ed, and the house so voted, to strike
out of the bill the following words:
'Al deeds or designation bounded up
on the south line of the natural bed
in New Haven harbor running from
near Clarks Point, so-called, to the
northwest corner of Lot 0191, as now
upon the map accompanying the bien-
Mai report of the shellhsh commits
sioners for the period ending Septem-
ber 80, 1908, are hereby validated and
confirmed and said line is hereby fixed
and established as the south line of
said natural bed"
Representative Peck declared that
this was an attempt on the nart of
certain New Haven oyster grower to
steal oyster lands. The land in
question was of about nineteen acres,
worth probably $4,000, and is natural
oyster growing grounds. The words
were eliminated from the act.
II Was Presumed That II Was All
Right
1t appears that certain oyster
grower endeavored to get this land and
asked the shellfish commission to con-
firm title to it based on a private
survey. The commissioners refused to
do. this and so the oyster man went to
the superior court, which refused to
validate the alleged title. The next
step was to ask the committee on she'll
fisheries to report a bill to validate
the title, but after three days of ar
gument by counsel for the oyster
grower the committee voted to report
against the bill and this was done.
The general assembly rejected the bill.
Today in the blanket validating act
was found the clause to validate the
title. House Chairman Burnes of the
judiciary committee could only say on
the floor that the matter had been
an the hands of private parties and
It was presumed that it was all right.
He read a long typewriter statement
on the matter.
Much Talk Created.
The incident created much talk
among the members, as during the
season the agitation over shellfish
matters gave rise to many statements,
chief among which were those to the
effect that considerable areas Of state
oyster grounds have in years past
drifted into private hands through
means not clearly explained.
Senator Searls Attacks the Governor.
Another incident was the support
of the governors veto by the house
on the bill to allow boys under six
teen years of age to be placed in pri-
vate institutions instead of sending
them to the state reform school. The
vote was " to SO. The senate a short
time before overrode the governors
veto after an impassioned speech by
Senator Searls in which he attacked
Governor Weeks. Mr.. Searls said that
the senate had not been wrong in
passing the measure and he could see
no objection to having a private in
stitution take bad boys and try to up
lift them.
He failed to see why any intelligent
man could vote to recede from action
in supporting the bill. He failed to see
on what grounds the governor could
veto the bill.
He asked If it were possible that the
governor believed he could interpose
his own views to defeat the will of the
legislature. Said Senator Searls: Il
have supposed that a governor exer-
cised his veto power when an act was
wrong for fundamental reasons, or for
constitutional reasons, or when the
principle involved il of wide scope,
but / do not believe the intent of the
constitution is to give the governor
the power of veto purely to exercise it
for personal reasons"
The senator spoke with much earn
estness and said that he knew he
spoke with earnestness, but he wished
20 appeal to the senate to be broad
minded and to pass the bill over the
veto. He said that the matter had
been deliberately considered and he
believed every member Of the senate
was intelligent. The veto is not be-
cause the bill is in conflict with the
constitution, not because it was de-
fective in its drawing, but II was prob
ably written through lack Of broad
mindedness. He closed with an ap-
peal to the senators to stand by their
previous action in a voice raised above
the normal pitch. while the senators
listened with intentness.
Reloinder by Senator Higgins.
Senator Higgins made the rejoinder.
Tie said that Senator Searls had set
up scarecrows to knock down. He
believed the governor was right in his
attitude. He said he had nothing
against the Deep River institution (St.
Johns industrial SCHOOL, which the bill
aimed to help. He would oppose any
bill which was trying to have the
state commit to its care boys and girls
when there were good state institu-
NGions not yet filed. Under the bill he
believed many sectarian institutions
would spring up. all striving to have
the state pay part of their mainten-
ance. He believed the governor was
conscientious in the matter and ap-
pealed 10 the senators to support the
veto. lie said the bill was passed pre-
Viously 13 to IL, showing that there
were many members who did not like
the proposed innovation.
The senate went over the veto and
passed the bill, whtch was killed in the
house.
House Matters on Table Quickly Dis
posed OF.
With the governors veto message
cut Of the way the house quickly dis
posed Of matters on the table and