The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-13
Dispensation of Political "Pap" not the Proper Business of Courts Representative Bishop Makes a Startling Arraignment of Judicial System.
Judges Much Removed From People - Officers Named by Courts Further Removed-Tribunals Should be Brought Closer to Electorate.
tBy Our Staff Correspondent.l

tBy Our Staff Correspondentl
 Hartford, March 13.-Conservative men, leaders in finance, in industrial enterprise, in all those movements of a modern civilization which have to do with the management and increase or invested capital. confess themselves disturbed and shocked by the spirit or ferment which seems to be sweeping over this state.
 They fear that the Republican par ty,y for more than score of years dominant in Connecticut, that it's dictates have been almost beyond dis pute, will be swept off from it's feet by the new movement, and swerved from its alliance with invested capi- tai, in which it has been sheltered and protected.
 Always there has been present in the state g desultory radicalism; But the Radicals were unorganized.> They were not affiliated with parties On the contrary they were usually found outside the ranks of the parties, ex- -ciuding of course the minor parties, as the socialist, the populist and the prohfbftioAist.
 But the present radicalism is foster I ed by powerful Republican leaders. It's home is in New Haven, the biggest, : if not the wealthiest city in the state. New Haven gave the State Woodruff for governor. He was a radical. But his radicalism stopped short of any l inquiry into the judicial system of the 1 Commonwealth, or any indictment of that system.
 The conservative strongholds are ringing to-day with the echoes of the Bishop. before the Judiciary committee , of the General Assembly. Thursday afternoon
 port Of the bill to change the man. ner of appofnting1 coroners. It was actually a most scathing indictment of the method of appointing judges. and of the power that the judges were said to be acquiring as the dispensers Of political pap.'
 Most startling to conservative minds was the appearance in favor of the bill of Col. Isaac M. Ullrnan of New Haven, for years the almost unchal- ienged and the never beaten leader of the Republican party in that city. This appearance was regarded as a practical endorsement by the Stalwart New Haven Leader. (Rep) of the sen timents uttered by Representative Bishop.
 Just how novel these sentiments are, to minds long accustomed to the idea that this is the best of all possible states in the best of all possible ing opening remarks. in which Rep resentative Bishop said:
 By the present law, coroners are appointed by the judges of the
 
 by the states attorneys in the va rious counties.
 By virtue of this method of ap- pointment they are removed a long way from the people.
 "Iet us consider the relation of the coroners' method of appoint ment to popular government.
 'fThe people elect the governor, the governor in turn nominateS the judges of the superior court to the general assembly makes the ap- pointment of judges.
 s"The judges of the superior court in turn at their annual meeting appoint a states attorney for leach county.
 ''The states attorney in each county nominates to the judges a candidate for coroner and the judges of the superior court ap- point the coroner
 'Since all political authority lies in the people. in this instance the authority is sub1et four times:
 First, the people delegate the authority to the governor.
 '.Second the governor to the judges of the superior court.
 Third. the judges to the state attorney.
 Fourth, the states attorney to the coroner The coroner in turn appoints medical examiner in each town.
 "This method of appointing is not only indirect but absurd.
 'aThe present bill provides that the governor shall nominate each coroner, the general assembly to make the appointment.
 This puts the method of ap- pointing the coroner in the same class with the appointment of judges of the superior court.
 ssHowever it brings the coroner near enough to the people to make his conduct in some degree respon- siye to the popular wish. Also in favor of the bill, and in ap- parent sympathy with these long un- uttered ideas were Charles $. Hamil ton. and J. Birney Futile, leading practitioners of the New Haven bar. Rep. Bishop in his remarks favoring the bill. continued as follows:
 By this. do not mean that his findings should be influenced by pop uIar desire. but should be based upon the law and the evidence, as he under stands it.
 Owing to the extremely indirect method of appointment. the coroner finds it necessary to curry favor with the states attorney and those judges or the superior court who happen to reside in his own county.
 As long as he is persona grata with a little clique of two or three men, he reIalns the office of coroner.
 w nile Judges go through the form or making the appointment of coroner life job.
 The appointment by judges of | clerks Of court. stenographers and | messengers is perfectly proper, every | one recognizes the fact that judges | should be. permitted to appoint their own immediate servants This has been done from time inmemoriaI The appointment Of a coroner by the judges |