Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-07
JUDGE BALDWIN OPENS CAMPAIGN
Address by Democratic Nominee for Governor at New
Haven Rally.

! New Haven, Conn.,, Oct. 6.-The
| democrats opened their side of the
state political campaign tonight by a
| rally in Music hall at which Judge
Simeon E. Baldwin, the nominee for
governor, and Thomas /. Reilly of
| Meriden were the speakers. Former
Mayor Martin of this city presided
and many of the nominee for offices on
| the state ticket sat on the platform
| Mr.. Martin, before introducing Judge
! Baldwin, said great campaign was
| being entered upon which would re-
| suit in the election of every candi-
| date of the party on the state, coun-
| ty congressional and local tickets
| who sat upon the platform.
| Judge Baldwin in his speech said:
A month ago I came upon this plat
| form before the democratic state con-
| Vention to accept at their hands a
nomination to head their ticket. 1t
was a nomination that came to me un-
| sought unbought. l stated then, in a
| brief my views of the questions of the
| day. Tonight I am glad to meet this
audience for a frank discussion with
my fellow towns1nen, at greater length,
| of some of the issues that underlie this
campaign and of the way in which the
| republican party is trying to meet or
| rather, not to meet them.
There is a general feeling all over
been going right, and that the repub-
lican party is somehow responsible for
| it. l have come here to try to explain,
very briefly. from my point Of view.
in what way they are responsib BILE for
| it. and what poor ground they have for
asking US to give them new lease of
power.
Let us begin by looking at home.
What do we need in Connecticut in
the way of new laws or a change in
the existing laws, and how can we best
get it? THE next legislature will have
some very serious work to do. The
people wnnt four measures passed:
l. The corrupt practices act. They
want 1t strengthened. They want it
mace plain, and stringent They want
IT, put an end forever to this odor of
corruption which has come to surround
the larger republican nominating con-
| Ventions of every kind
2. A public utilities commission.
| They want the best practicable organ
ization. through which the power of
! the state to watch, and where neces-
Sary to control the doingS of public SER
vice corporations, can be effectually
used. Whether it be one board in
WHICH the railroad commission shall
be merged, or a board having judicial
or quasi judicial powers, as well as ad-
{ ministrative powers; by a board ap-
pointed by the governor, or by the gen.
eral assembly on his nomination or
by popular election-these are ques-
| tons to be thought out very carefully
/ They have been thought out carefully
! by very competent commission. The
report of that commission made last
year and the bill for an act which they
recommended must be the starting
point in any future discussion. l share
the common opinion of the people that
some kind Of q public utilities commits
sion must be created. and that we want
he hoo {,,I Loot Il -ffaF-1 IL
ticket, ami we will do. our best to give
YOU the best kind.
3. An employers liability act
have been for some years, by appoint
ment of the American Bar association,
at the head of it's bureau of compare
tive law. The business of that bureau
is to keep track of the changes in law
and legal forms generally in all civil
lied countries of the world, and to
publish a yearly report upon them.
This has made it my duty, and it has
also been my pleasure to keep to some
extent up with the progress of law in
the world in recent years. 1t has
shown me how far removed Connect
cut statutes as to employers liabilities
are from those of other countries gen.
orally. I believe fhe popular demand
for better regulation of this subject Is
right; and here again we have the re-
port of a competent commission on
the subject. made to a republican leg
1Siature, accompanying it, which the
republican Legislature rejected. Give
the democratic party now an oppor-
tunity to deal with this subject and
we Will give you either that bill or a
better one-the best one that we can
frame.
T. The s.. 90 death limit must be re-
moved. Whether it should be replaced
by larger sum, or all limitations re-
moved, is another question to be care
fTIITy- cfJ1dia6 ont It affects
woman and Child in the state, for the
limit is not, as sometimes supposed,
imposed simply in suits against en-
ployers of labor. 1t is applied in any
suit against any one who may negli-
gently cause the death of another.
Now on three of these points both
parties, in their platforms. demand the
same kind Of legislation. On the fourth
improving the corrupt practices act
the republican platform is silent 1t
is silent. and / know why. They do
not want it improved, and their silence
cenfesses this.
I notice that our republican friends
seem TO avoid any reference to the
fact that they have had every oppor-
tunity to pass all these measures and
didn't do it. They are in the posi-
ton of the defendant in criminal
prosecution who was asked by the
clerk the usual question. Are you gull
ty or not guilty, as charged In this in
formation. ] should prefer, he replied,
to dismiss the subject altogether.
But there are some subjects that
cannot be dismissed: some questions
that have got to be answered. The re-
publican party is being asked by the
| American people to give an account Of
their setwardship. 1t has got to be
| given. And the only one which they
can give shows liabilities. over assets {;
DR. to promise to pass wholesome
| laws.
CIR. BY nothing in that line that is
worth the entry.
| The Connecticut legislature under re-
| publican rule has come to a point
where there is nothing doing. The gov
| eminent of the state is farmed out to
| commissions. So with the business Of
| the state offices. 1t is done by deputy
During the, civil war there was q
| great influx of ex-slaves to Washing
| ton. One of them, a middle aged
woman who had been in a southern
| planters household applied at a house
| for work as a domestic servant Well
| said the lady of the house. what can
| you DO? Can you cook? No, missus
| Aunty used to cook. Can you wash and
| iron? No, missus, Sally always wash
ed. Can you wait on table? No mis-
sus, Jim always used to wait on table
| Can you take care of the children
| No, missus. Nanny took care of the
/ children. We'll. what did you use tC
| do? why, l always kept the flies off
missus with fan.