Connecticut western news., 1909-05-20
CANAAN, CONN. THUPADAY. MAY 20. l9oY

5ion, thereby expressing themselves as ,n favor of the public utilities bill as it now stands, were e,-Messrs. l.. G. Nor. throp, M. o. Dean, H. Smith, Loucks, Naill, North, A. J. Fenn, Scdgwick, Stoddard, Duffe, J. C. Smith, Beckwith, w. D. Humphrey. Lyons, Brinsmsde, Magee, Darlington, Higgins. Hitchcock.
 Within the past few days Senator Charles w. Baruum of Lime Rock has been appointed chairman of special committee to draft another put lie utilities bill. The appointment was made because Senator Barnum is a manufacturer and a man of moderate of views. It is intended that the new bill shall be ready to be intro duccd into the legislature by June s.
 Bills for the betterment of our public schools are also being considered by the legislature now in sessiC ?. IL k be. lieved that what the school n"ed is the 3U.'ance nn,I Aupervi-i3n of contral authority. As the late Governor Lilley, said, The lack of it h&s led to variance of standards that should not obtain. A small compact community like Connecticut ought to have a school system a model of its kind. Instead there is not a commonwealth with less legal provisions for supervision and less con formity to any fixed standard than Con- necticut.'
 The future welfare of the state is also vitally concerned ill the result of the legislatures discussion of the need of state rsformatory for boys between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five. It is also probable that some action will be taken on the recomm endation of the late governor that commission be appointed to investigate the needs of the insane of the state, particularly in regard to the erection of a new hospital in the western part of the state. The committee on humane institutions reported favorably on the bill for the establishment of re- formatory only few days ago, and recommended that it be referred to the committee on appropriations. The bill was so referred.
 Important changes in the penal code brought before the General Assembly Tn 1907 and now up for reconsideration is passed. This bill would make effective, systematic and mandatory the applcai- | ~, of fn i'm, of convicted criminals, until such time as there is reasonable ground for belief nat. if conditionally placed outside of prison walls, under regular and parole supervision, such prisoners will conduct themselves as industrious, sober and respectable persons ought. This bill would not shorten in any way the due and proper punishment of criminals, as in some degree has been mistakenly supposed.
 There is also a bill providing for the appointment of a commission to make an investigation of the present. penal system with the purpose of coordinatipg and modernizing the system, providing among other things that even the county jails be brought under the control of the state.
 The special commission appointed last year to investigate conditions in the state regarding tuberculosis made re- commendations which were heartily endor ed by the late Governor Lilley. These recommendations included one that county homes be erected designed to care for "hopeless cases" which are not hopeless under proper treatment and care. The proposed homes will receive these patients without long journey and the compulsion of residence far away from home, family and friends.
 In February bill was introduced by Representative Tomlinson of Danbury which will, if enacted, add state farm to the list of corrective institutions and will be the home of persons sentenced for drunkeness.