Norwich bulletin., 1909-05-13
JUDGE PERRY EXPLAINS
REPORT OF COMMISSION.
Upon Laws Relating to Direct Prima-
ries and the Bill Drawn Up.

Hartford, May 12.-Judge John II.
Perry of Southport appeared before
| the committee on judiciary at the cap
itol this afternoon to explain the re-
port of the commission on laws re-
lating to direct primaries and the bill
drawn UP by the commission. Judge
Perry was chairman of that body. He
explained that the bill was based on
the principle that every elector in a
government like that of this country
has a. right to the same personal part
in nomination as in an election 1t
was not true that direct primaries al
ways selected the best men, but it was
true that the men selected were as
good as those chosen in the present
way. He believed that the people Of
the state would be glad to have the
direct primary inaugarated. The Of
fees affected would be those Of gov
crnor, lieutenant governor, represent
ative in congress, state senator, rep
re resentative in the general assembly,
Judge of probate and sheriff The 9TH
er offices on the state ticket, it was
explaieed, were left to be filled by the
state Convention. The bill also pro-
vides for nomination by petition, but
with the provision that one voted for
iH primary and defeated cannot be
nominated by petition. For governor,
lieutenant governor and congressman
at large thirty per cent. of all the pri-
mary votes cast in the state for the
Office on the party ticket, but in the
case of the other offices named q
nation is made by the primary, the
state convention must make it.
The point was raised by a member
of the committee as to how the bill
would affect the so-called foreign vote
and whether it would not result in
that vote sometimes holding the ball
ance of power Judge Perry stated
that in his opinion if that electorate
was accorded full scope in the matter
of voting to elect it should have full
scope to nominate.
The point was also raised as to the
party platform, it being pointed out
that the primaries being held before
a state convention the candidates for
Office would be nominated before the
platform to be adopted by the party
had been formulated. Judge Perry
said that he had never seen a plat
form adopted by party that was of
really much Importance, and in answer
to further questions said he thought
platforms were perhaps good campaign
documents.
He assured the committee that if
the kill submitted did not meet with
their approval and yet they were of
acted some sort Of direct primary leg
islation, the members of the commits
sion would be only too glad to offer
their services to the committee in
drafting a new bill.
Other measures before the commit
tee for discussion were those having
to do with indeterminate sentences,
abolishinS capital punishment, and an
act amending an act concerning vot-
ing districts in the town of Hamden.
paper dealing with the question
of making the penalty for murder in
the second degree an indeterminate
sentence with a minimum of not less
than twenty-five years, prepared by
c. V. Collins, superintendent of New
York state prisons, and which, at the
request Of Warden Garvin of the Con-
necticut state prison, he had intended
to read before the committee when the
bill dealing with that subject was
taken up. was laid before the commit
tee this afternoon The bill was origi-
nally set for hearing on April 22, but
had been postponed