The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-09
GOV. DIAPERS MESSAGE.

The fact that Massachusetts is class ed as a very progressive State, it's laws quite frequently furnishing the model upon which the enactments of other states are based, gives interest to the annual message of Gov. Draper to the Legislature.
 Upon the topic of industrial training, which is now receiving wide attention, he says that while opportunity should be furnished to the few pupils in our public schools who desire to prepare for college training great numbers or the scholars who wish industrial edu- cation should have an opportunity to stuey with that end in view, rather than be obliged to pursue, as at pres ent, a course mainly academic. He also believes that separate industrial schools should bes established' for scaoIars of not less than IA years of aec
 With regard to State highways, he fayors continuance of the good road movement, and says that ''it will re- auire at least $500 per mile per year to maintain the existing State high ways in proper repair" and he holds that 1t is better to keep them in good condition than to increase the mileage rapidly "by borrowing money for new construction
 He also refers to ''the great dam- age done by high-powered and swift running automobiles" and suggests that a graded registration fee for au- tos be established "by means of which the people using machines which de- stroy the roads would be compelled to pay to the Commonwealth a prop CT amount for repairs.' He would Ire ouire the owners of high-powered, heavy and fast-running automobiles to pay greater license fee than is charg- ed to citizens owning lighter and less destructive motor vehicles, Gov. Dra- per holds also that ''the laws should be so, framed that any reckless opera stion of motor vehicle, at any speed, should be the test for fine or othsr punishment, as the case may be-" and that ssthe penalty should be severe ' and that t.if glaring cases of reckless ness are found, the guilty operator should be prohibited from further op- pcrtunity for such action
 Harbor improvement appears to be, in part at least, a matter of State con- cern very unlike Connecticut = for Gov. Draper suggests that it be treat ed as the construction of highways is treated and that general appro- priation, of an amount sufficient to cover all such work, be annually made by the Legislature" the amount not to exceed $75,000. He also recom- mends the enactment of "a general law authorizing cities and towns by a two-thirds vote, to appropriate money to perform work and assume the risk of land damages for harbor and water improvements the State paying a part of the cost of the work if really an improvement"
 The commission which is investigat- ing the question of old-age pensions, needs another year to complete it's work, but Gov Draper asks whether if any general old-age pension scheme were ever to be enacted, it would not he wise to have this a national prop osition, rather than something to be done by an individual State.Y
 Of course, Gov. Draper's opinions and recommendations can have only a mor- al effect in Connecticut. We quote them merely because of their bearing upon pending questions here. The question of high school training is coming to the front in the near future, there be- ing a growing opinion that a purely acadamic course does not supply the greatest good to the greatest number.
 Heavier taxation of high-powered automobiles, and the prevention or punishment of reckless speeding are also topics of present discussion in Connecticut and the General Assem- bly, may take action upon them.
 State improvement of harbor's and waterways, combined with town Ur city aid, is unknown in Connecticut which relies upon Federal appropriations for such work. Whether this State can, or whether 1t would be advisable, adopt the Massachusetts policy, is a debat- able question.