Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-07-24
LEGISLATION HAS NO EFFECT
ON NEXT STATE CAMPAIGN.

lspecial to The BuIletin.l

Especial to The Builetin.)
Hartford, July 2s.-It is not a very
praiseworthy- thing to have in mind the
possible effect on the next state cam
paign that the passage or the lack OF
rassage of an employers liability law
or public utilities commission law by
this general assembly may have as the
basis for action now. The necessity
or the lack Of it, for legislation along
any line has little or nothing to do
with politics and when a, committee
reports a bill just because of the pos
sible political effect of not doing so
or the senate passes a bill just be-
cause it fears that if 1t doesn't the
next senate will be democratic in COM
plexion, the gentlemen concerned have
departed about as far from any proper
IDEALS or principles in the matter as
they well could
Right is right and wrong wrong, and
whether or not a man remains in Office
or advances to another or a party re-
mains in power has nothing to do with
it, so that the senate would have done
far better not to reconsider its action
in turning down the employers liabil-
ity bill passed by the house and have
simply stood on the ground that the
bill in question is a mere makeshift
which will do no one any real good and
may do harm and which the lawyer
member of the special commission
which reported it could not bring him.
self to approve Of The people Of Con-
necticut will tar sooner honor man
or body of men who does or do what
there is to do in a straightforward,
frank manner than if the policy is to
shift the helm to meet every variance
of pressure or trim the sails to favor
every passing breeze. That word trim
is a bad one.
ON, 4Irse If..o . f<rm a. mI., m
the judiciary committee didn't find suf-
fcient courage to stand by its guns In
reporting the, repeal of that chapter
1916 the electricity law which has been
on the books for some time, several
weeks ago and give the single lobbyist
who has worked so much harm in So
mysterious a. fashion to understand
that If he minded his own business and
let the committee alone the day when
the legislature awakes to his real posi-
tion in relation to it and makes it plain
to him that he Is persona non grafa
would be farther off. Men new to leg
islative halls may readily exaggerate
to themselves the Importance of an
Individual. and do every session, but
by this time in the session there's lit
tie excuse for II.
Much is being said about the repub-
lican party's responsibility to the peo
pie of Connecticut especially as to
passing some sort Of public utilities
commission measure, and most of it is
pure poppycock The republican party
has not agreed to give the state either
that or an employers liability law. 1t
is true that the lamented Governor
Lilley did make these two matters
star features Of his personal campaign
last fall and important planks in his
personal platform; it is true that he
did this on the advice of personal
friends, some Of whom are in high
places in the party; it Is not true that
this elected him or played any material
Fart in his election or that the repub-
Connecticut with any pledges to re-
deem on that account Plain talk?t
Possibly, yes. But everyone who has
had experience with the practicalities
of politics knows that it is not what
candidate says that brings him the
majority Of votes in these days; it is
what his friends do.
So that element in the situation re-
garding these two important bills may
be eliminated. and l think will he
and ought to be. The republican party
has nothing to fear from any effort
to take advantage of any situation
whatever on the part of the opposition
party, which put in, it's platform last
fall demand for legislation along the
vice commission law, for in the words
of my genial good friend, Mayor Dunn
of Willimantic "they wasn't sincere
when they done It," and they won't be
next time.
The public utilities question should
be decided simply on its merits. and is
likely to be. The result OF that would
be that no bill at all would pass, and
1 think that's apt to happen. The Bar
mum bill has its good points, but leaves
much to be desired; one could be hap
py and well off with much less than is
contained in the Wilton bill-and
safer The first represents about all
the senate, which hardly cares TO stand
for anything, will stand for: the other
what the most radical members of the
house hope to get. Amendments are
apt to fly thick and fast in the house,
or else there'll be none and each house
will stand its own ground and very far
apart, too far to be brought together
at this stage of the game.
Meantime the two houses are getting
rid Of more or less business. though
the latest competent opinion Ms that
adjournment will hardly come much
before the first of September. and do
ing some good work and neglecting to
do other good work. 1t was a fine
piece of work for the house to turn
down that outrageous New Haven
propOsltlon Tor life tenure for Fred
Whitaker and Comptroller Rowe and
1t wasn't quite as fine for the senate
to do up the repeal of the $4,000 limit
on death damages Rejecting the prop
osition for a state official to enforce the
automobile laws was a good thing. not
because there is likely to be efficient
enforcement of the laws under present
arrangements, bnt because a nasty sit
uation between gentlemen who must
afr1
face. and this was the best way to
avoid it.
The house did a splendid thing when
it passed the act for the prevention of
procreation Of detectives and placed
Connecticut at the front among the
states, where it usually is, you'll find.
state barber commission, though local
health officers are very far from an
ideal agency for the enforcement Of