The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-07
Juds0n Defends
 General Assembly
Thinks that Constitution Stands in Way of Work mems Compensation Act that Courts Will Sustain Constitutionality of Law Creating Public Utilities Commission.

Hartford. Nov. 7-Senator Stiles Judson and Colonel Norris G. Osborn were the chief combatants at the meeting of the Get-Together Club in Center Church House. last evening. The subject for consideration was ''The 1911 Session of the Connecticut General Assembly-Faithful or Found Want ing?" Senator Judson, the leader of the Senate, gave the inside view and Colonel Osborn, editor of the New Ha- ven Journal Courier, gave the ''out- side view" There were other views expressed, which might be described as ''off side"
 Representative George B. Chandler of Rocky Hill, who is the head of the executive board of the Get-Together Club, presided at the speechmaking which followed the banquet. He call ed attention to this being the first meeting of the tenth year of the or ganization and announced the subjects for the season, the one for the next Penal Institutions The best of feel ing prevailed between the two leading speakers, and each was fearless in att tacking his opponents position.
 Senator Judson said that he had spent a small fortune buying Sunday editions of the "New York Herald" and he was glad to get a chance to reply to the editorial "We." He said that greater problems were presented to the last General Assembly than had been presented before. The working classes were awakening to new things.
 He spoke in substance as follows:
 "The next governor should be man with no entangling political alliances and possessing the power of leader ship. The business men of the state have duty to scrutinize with great care the candidates for the next Leg s-y- >&>h 0fA A1o 4o Tt1n Senate has been notoriously subServi- ent to the wishes of the large public service corporations. But the Senate of 1911 was different in this respect. It was independent. It should be remem- bered in criticizing the long session that the burden of the length of the session fell on the legislators. If all citizens spent as much time for as little pay, the welfare of the state would be well cared for. If nothing else was done than advancing in thought some of the great subjects vain. The forwarding of these impor- tant measures was not trivial mat ter in an education point of viaw, al- though the did not get on the statute book.
 "A workmen's Compensation Act riers which do not exist in the old countries. The forbidding of the talk ing of property without process of law makes 1t difficult to satisfactorily frame law that will stand. The employers of labor showed a broad minded point of view on the subject which was surprising. The advance made on this subject was of greater importance than anything done by the General Assembly. That bill revolu- tionized the law of liability as It has existed in the State for decades. Such | %~f come at once. I think wiser counsel may have prevailed in laying it aside for more mature deliberation. It is certain that the next Legislature will advance the cause in wiser fashion.
 '"The public utilities law was a good than the Legislature is best fitted to handle these matters. The answer to the argument gainst the constitution ality of the act is that the order of the commission stands until over turned by the courts, which is better than having the courts handle the subject first. I think the courts will sustain the validity of the new law. The law will be a means of protect ing the corporations from legislative attack. Under a proper adminiStra- tion of the law the public service cor tended, servants of the people. The passage of this act alone justifies the last General Assembly
 s'In regard to the death limit pro- vision neither party exerted itself to have it's party platform fulfilled. I owners was what prevented the limit less law that was intended.
 ''I believe the Legislature deserves praise for turning down the income tax proposed by Congress. The revi- sion of laws concerning short weights l.. The fault of this Legislature, like that of most Legislatures, was that of pass ing too many laws, rather than too few. A charge in favor of general laws, advocated by the press and by Governor Baldwin will be great step forward and should come"
 Colonel Osborn said that he was in no mood to speak adversely over a body which had passed away so re- gently and so reluctantly. He admit ted the educational benefit of the Gen. eral Assembly and admitted the great difficulties of a workmen's compensa- tion act. "But one thing the General Assembly should have done; it should have repealed the fellow servant law" said Colonel Osborn.
 Continuing he said in substance:
 "The protection of the health of the state caused by the pollution of streams was matter that died in the General Assembly. We are seeing one result in the epidemic at Torring- ton. Yet it passed a law against common drinking cups and providing individual towels. | do not think this was creditable to the state. The di- rect primary question was lodged by the General Assembly. It is not a new method. It will be frosty day for political machines when it comes into being and men can nominate whom they want.''