The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-09-09
Caucus of Republican Sen
ators Vote Not to Redis-
trict Congressional Ter
: ritory
"People Have Long Since
Forg often Platform
Promises Says One Sen
ator-sThat Remains to
Be Seem" Replies An
other.

The Republican. members of the
Senate held a caucus in the lieuten-
|ant governors room, Immediately af-
ter the adjournment Of the Senate
Thursday afternoon. at which it was
decided to push a bill through the
general assembly to deprive the gov
ernor Of the power of removal and to
oppose the redisricting of the state
at this session, says the Hartford
Times of last evening. The action of
the caucus in regard to the governors
power of removal is admittedly inlthe
interest of Highway Commissioner
James H. Macdonald, and to prevent
by the governor after Gthe legislature
adjourns.
Called BY Lieutenant Governor.
The Republican senators had but
short notice of the caucus. When
the days session was drawing to a
close Senator Woodruff, of the Four
teenth district, passed among the Re
publican senator's and told them that
it was the wish of Lieutenant Cover
nor Blakeslee that they should meet
in caucus after adjournment. TO
some Of the senators the request came
as surprise, not that there should
be q caucus but that it should be call
ed at the request of the lieutenant
governor They could rot see what
the lieutenant governor had to do
with the caucus Of the Republican
members of the senate since he is not
a member of that body. During the
present session the lieutenant COVER
nor has been reminded of this fact
by Republican and Democratic sena-
tors a number of times. He has butt
ted into use a olloquialism-quit
frequently in the debates of the SEN
ate, and senators have found it nee
essary to remind him of the constitu-
tional limita tions of his office. 1t
should be said, in justice to the lieu
tenant governor, that his interference
in the debates Of the senate has al
ways been accompanied with an apol-
ogy for speaking, the apology show
ing that he was conscious of having
assumed a right to which he had no
constitutional title, and that he knew
it was by the indulgence of the senate
that he was allowed to speak. The
rights and privileges of the, lieutenant
governor, so far as the sessions of
the senate are concerned, are limited
to his occupancy of the presidents
chair and to the dissolving of a tie
vote. He has not the right to take
part in debate except to direct 1t in
accordance with parliamentary law
and to answer question when it is
a addressed to him.
He cannot even appoint committees.
He is not member of the senate.
The speaker Of the house Of repre-
sentativeS is a member of that body
and has a. right to take part in its
and to vote. 1t will be
easily seen from this statement why
the senator's were surprised when they
were informed by Senator Woodruff
the Republican senators to hold a eau
Gus. In their opinion 1t was buttin'
with vengeance.
To Protect Macdonald.
There were about 1S senators pres
ent at the caucus or three less than
the entire number of Republican SEN
ators Lieutenant-G Governor Blakes-
lee was also present, making in all
about nineteen. The lieutenant-g gov
ernor took the chair and opened the
proceedings by bluntly stating that
the first business of the caucus was to
take steps to secure the retention Of
Highway Commissioner Macdonald IN
office after the general assembly had
adjourned. He stated that Governor
Baldwin had ''prejudged Commission
er Macdonald's case and that the
should save as many Re-
publican office-holders as they could. 4
D. Bad Politics
When the business of the caucus
was formally announced Lieutenant |
Governor Blakeslee asked for an ex- |
preston of opinion in regard to the |
matter Of depriving the governor of |
he power of removing Highway Com I
missioner Macdonald.
'T think it is d bad politics"
was the frank reply of a senator who |
mas been working for the Republican |
party all his life.
Judson in Accord.
Senator Judson said the suggestion |
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