The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-01-04
ed with the least Inconvenience.


/ renew the recommendation of Gov
ernor Phineas G.. Lounsbury in his in
augural message in 1887 that the stat
ed meetings of the board Of pardons
be held at the prison. A convenient
time would probably be the next Sat
urday after the first Monday Of June
and of December.
Grants Of Gratuities and Legislative
Souvenirs.
I venture to express the hope that
this year may mark a departure from
a practice which has grown up in our
general assemblies of passing orders
| and making grants toward the close
| of the session either by concurrent
| resolution or by the separate action OF
each house appropriating moneys for
| gratuities and legislative souvenirs.
Popular Election of United States Sem
| ators.
The constitution of the United
States provides that the members Of
be chosen by the legislature OF the
state from which they come.
The legislatures Of a majority of the
states have declared themselves in IA
vor of substituting an election by the
| people of the state for an election by
the legislature. An amendment to the
| constitution Of the United States to
shat effect can be proposed at any time
by congress by a two-thirds vote In
| each house. recommend the passage
| Of joint resolution requesting con-
| gress to take that step.
Under the original scheme provided
by the constitution of the United
states for the election Of the Presi-
| made through the action Of special
celebrates provided for the purpose.
The electoral colleges have long since
become an empty form. The people
in regard to those who are to fill these
great offices. and the end has been ac-
cornphShed through the medium of ma
| tional party conventions.
The Legislature in each State was, in
hike manner. constituted special cleo
| torate for the choice of Senators. The
office Of Senator was not, when the
constitution was framed. looked upon
as one OF very great distinction. Those
elected to It often resigned it to accept
positions which would now be deemed
of far inferior worth or dignity. James
/
the place Of commissioners of the school
fund. But for many years, with the
growth OF the United States in popu-
lation. wealth. and International weight
| a Senatorship has become one OF the
great prizes in American politics To
| a small State like Connecticut, 1t Is of
| the greatest Importance that the two
members of the Senate. to whom she
must look primarily to safeguard her
| interests. as respects the course Of ma
L 1n0-c1afinT1 IA mo af
| high character and ability. No one
can justly aspire to such a position
who is not known for the possession
OF these qualities. to the public gener-
knowledge they can vote intelligently
on whatever nominations may be put
/ before them.
| It is no doubt true that the cnange
Of the method of election which has
been indicated would be likely to slim.
ulate greater effort on the part Of
| those seeking a senatorship and their
| friends to gain control OF the nomi-
| mating convention of their party. A
| part of the contest now devoted to Sc
curing majority in the general as
sembly would then be devoted to gain
| ing majority in a political conven-
tion This is inevitable, but it would
be attended by effects less deleterious.
As 1t is it is sought to control the
nomination and election Of men a
large body Of whose main business 1t
will be to legislate wisely for the
general interests of the state and to
control it primarily, not to advance the
| probability of such legislation, but to
| advance the probability Of the choice
Of particular man for a particular
office The only result Of gaining con-
| troll Of a convention will be to induce
the making Of certain nominations ano
! the passage of certain declaratory reso
buttons respecting political questions
That done, all is done which the CON
| vention can do. The result of gaining
| control of a legislature is not only tc
| secure the election Of a certain man az
| senator, but to influence the entire work
Of the session, most of which will have
no relation whatever to the results OF
that election.
The Income Tax Amendment.
The amendment to the constitution
Of the United States proposed to the
states by congress regarding an In
come tax comes before you for action.
In considering whether such
| change would be favorable to the in
terests of Connecticut it is proper to
| remember that our own system Of
| taxation for the first two centuries
of our history was in purpose and
| effect that of taxing incomes rather
than property. 1t is by no means
impossible that we may in the future
wish to revert to this ancient plan to
supplement our present resources, and
in such event it would be highly bur-
densome to the taxpayer to pay an in
come tax both to the United States
and to the state.
1t is also true that Connecticut prob
ably contains in proportion to her
population many more inhabitants on
whose income the burden of such a
tax imposed by congress would fall
than would be found in most of the
states.
On the other hand, it is not i'm
possible that the United States may
in future times find their customs
revenue fall off, and should they in
such a case desire to lay an income
tax it would be difficult practically
to do so unless it were made an in
direct rather than, as would now be