The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-02-14
DOC QUESTION
AUTO. Law AND
ROAD MONIES
Legislation Relating to
These Matters Will Oc-
cupy Much Time of Cen
eral Assembly.

Hartford, Conn.,. Feb. 14-Many OF
the joint committees Of the State Leg
islature have set out to make records
for promptness in holding hearings on
measures and for speedy committee
action and reports. Already the more
important committees are assigning
hearings on the bulk Of their business.
The committee on roads, bridges and
rivers has assigned every measure be-
fore it and the committee on claims
do the same 1t is not believed
that this method will really hasten
,1-ocLers, however, as the inevitable
| delays in committee hearings and &C
| ton are already manifesting them
| selves.
! Little automobile legislation is be-
fore the committee on roads, bridges
and rivers, ten bills as against more
| than fifty in 1909 The most important
| perhaps, is a bill which changes. en-
tirely the method of collecting license
| fees from automobile owners. 1t
makes the manufacturers' license fee
| 81 per engine used over Connecticut
roads and charges private owners 60
| cents per horse power for machines OF
| Is horse power and over, and so cents
for those under % horse power. An
other bill would cause autos to stop
when approaching a street car dis
|
| tos are supposed to slow down to
miles per hour. One measure impos-
es a maximum speed limit of rs
miles an hour and 10 miles when
| rounding corners. This bill comes
from the state grange. Another bill
| provides a state examining board for
| operators and one bill would have each
| number marker contain a red lens SO
located that it would tllumine the
marker at night. There is a measure
providing that numbers shall be paint
| ed on the glass of the lamps.
! The committee will get real action
| on the good roads legislation, for it
| must be settled whether or not Con-
| necticut is to continue with the state
| system which has cost in the last four
years more than six millions and for
| which an appropriation of $1,000 900
more is asked of this legislature.
| The appropriations committee is oc-
| cupied with deficiency appropriation
| and the usual appropriations for state
| departments and bureaus. Also, the
| Waterbury has had hearing. Though
! the committee has not settled this
matter, it is understood that there is
| little sentiment among the commit
/ tee members for another state normal
/ school until the four now existing find
| their facilities more taxed than at pres
| ent.
! The committee on agriculture will
next Wednesday begin it's biennial
wrestle with the dog question. The
usual claim will be made that dogs
| have made 1t impossible to proftably
| raise sheep In this state.
| The house committee on contested
! elections is working as rapidly as pos
sible over the many cases before it:
Tomorrow, it will go into the Milford
tsituation where the moderator first
declared elected two Republicans and
l NV CIV
| perior court resulted in a Democrat
| winning one place. Thursday, it will
| hear the contest Of ex-Mayor Beck
| with Of New London for the seat Of
| Representative Wilton.
This committee has voted to open
| the ballot boxes in Torrington, where
| two Democrats were declared elected.
| The Republicans claim that there were
| counted twice for the Democrats rep
resentative ballots which should orig
| inal1y have been counted for the Re-
publican candidates. Most of the
| election contests have to do with tech
| nicalities resulting from confusion ov
| err the Australian ballot. The commit
| tee has already decided against the
contestants in the Branford, Oxford
and Coventry cases and will report
/ this week in favor of allowing the Pc
| titioners to withdraw.
The judiciary committee will revote
| this week to the minor court judge
| ships Resolutions appointing judges
and deputy Judges in thirteen cities
and towns have been assigned for
| hearing 1t is expected that the next
| Democrat stand will be made on these
| judgeships, the Democrats having put
| in numerous resolutions appointing
Democrats in places where there are
/ two Democratic legislators.
There is reason to believe that Gov
| ernor Baldwin will this week trans
Wit 70 fbo a "a r1nroinq ffoY1c to COZ
| state offices. Some Democrats say that
i the governor has selected man for
| highway commissioner to replace Com
| missioner Macdonald. Senate minor
| ity leader Mahan is himself candi-
| date for the office.
| In connection with the partisan sit
| uation in the senate, there is no little
| criticism by Republican leaders of the
| action of the Senate Republicans in
the case of Judge Welch Of the Litch-
Judge Welch is 6S years old and cannot
serve out his new term. There was
no special desire among Republicans
| for his continuance in office and in
| the opinion of many it would have
been a wise move to let the Demo-
term and thus put themselves on rec
| ord as opposing the nominee of their
| governor.
! The partisan contention over the
county commissioner ships was quite
| another matter and here the Demo-
| Gratis in both houses are criticised be-
cause they made their fight on the
basis of the Fairfield county Demo-
| cratic caucus not an entirely harmon
| ious affair, instead of contending for
| minority representation, which many
| Republicans believe in and the refu-
| sal of which at this stage of parti-
| san conflict might very well have been
Of political tactical advantage to
| Democracy.
| Those who have been looking for We
| toes from Gov. Baldwin of the coun-
| ty commissioner resolutions will be dis
| appointed, for contrary to the gen.
! sign these resolutions and has moth
tive. He must, however, sign the
commissions of the commissioners when
| presented to him by a representative
| Of the secretary of state, the law be.
| ing mandatory and he not being al.
| lowed to use a rubber stamp or to
have them signed by another in his
name. Both these latter plans have
| been tried by former governors in the
| case of minor commissions and both
have been declared illegal by attor-
ney-generals.
All hope of short session has de-
| parted and the more experienced are
now predicting a session lasting long
| err than that of two years ago, which
| broke all records by adJournlng Au-
| gust "a.