Connecticut western news., 1911-04-20
CARLETON'S LETTER
'C0NNOlLEY'S APPOINTMENT
 MAKES HARD FEELIN

Both Democrats, Oppose It-StiII Juggling With the Highway Com
 missionership Probabilities.
 Hartford, April 18.-Now what a merry mess we have over Governor Baldwin's appointment of Patrick H. Connolley, Of Danbury, to be labor com missioner. N. Burton Rogers. Dau- bury's new mayor. who has been a fla miliar figure about the capitol during the legislative sessions, was there the day before this appointment was announced and questions are being asked if that had anything to do with it. Certainly it isn't agreeable to the present repre- sentatives from that city, and both of them are Democrats, too.
 MT. Murphy, of Danhnry. the man who said there hadn't been Fairfield county caucus because the Democrats hadn't been asked in. Is SD wrought up over the fact that MT. Connolley's bro- ther-in-iaw runs 8 gambling joint and is protected by some alderman through his brother-in- law. that he can't talk of anything else. don't believe he sleeps nights for thinking of it.
 It doesn't look, to man in the road, as if the Senate would endorse this nom ination, however. It is so plainly an effort to cater to the labor vote on the part of the governor that that phase of the situation doesn't please several of the Democratic senators and the work that the Danbury representatives are doing against MT. Connolley won t help him any
 MT. Connolley is not only chairman of the Democratic town committee in Dan bury and a member of the Democratic state central committee. but he Is ou re cord as having received money from the Republican state central committee which doesn't tend to help him with a whole lot of Democrats who otherwis might be for him. .. -~. ..... ...... To be snre, somebody must be ap- pointed to fill the vacancy caused by Commissioner Scoville's death there is no one to hold over. The office will run itself, however. Chief Clerk Parker and Clerk Parsons have loug done all the work and haven't been overhurdened. The fact is that this office and that of the factory inspector should luK since have been mbined. Neither is doing work at present which is worth much to the state, but in combination their work might be made of great value Governor Baldwin come out for this is his message. but goes back on his sug gestion when he appoints Connolley not only for the unexpired term, but for four years thereafter, which is another odd thing.
 Meantime there is nothing doing Cn the state highway commissioner. The situation over the labor commissioner cannot fail to benefit "Jim'' Macdonald, though. Very likely au appointment for this place will have gone in before this is printed, though the governor may wait until next week. He must make the appointment by May l. which gives him only this week and next. If there were more time, he might wait till he sees what will be done with the appointment we have just been discuss ing, which the Senate must dispose of within ten legislative days. But these ten days won't be up by May and the i Senate is wise enough to wait until after that date before acting on anything fur ther.
 In addition to the highway commits sioner there are one bank commissioner, building and loan commissioner, three commissioners of fish and game, two shell fish commissioners, four state police commissioners (who have the appoint. ment of superintendent and assistant superintendent) and the state factory in- spector to be appointed, to say nothing of various minor officials. The faithful haven't had much yet and 1t will be in- teresting to note how they are served.
 It will also be interesting to note to what length the session may be extended by the fights over some of these offices. Not that these fights can themselves ex- tend over so much time, for the Senate has'but ten days on any of these ap- pointments' but each fight enlists many men and causes new judgments, though of course along rather permanent gen. eral lines. And while these matters are receiving attention others carnot have it. The talk that adjournment by June i first or even July first has little founda- tion in the facts, though. Those wno say such things are either inexperienced or forget many features of the situation which have vital bearing ol it.
 CARLETON.