The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-01-08

Would Abolish Insurance on State
BuiIdinqs-FaVors Gradual Extension
of Suffrage Rights to Women.
Would Cut OFF Many Useless State
Jobs For Economy.
Governor Simeon q. Baldwin In his
inaugural message to the general as
sembIy @ Connecticut recommends
radical legislation. Arbitration of the
canal dispute and gradual granting of
suffrage are included. The message in
part is as follows:
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the
General Assembly:
The political events Of the past few
years have made it clear that the peo-
pie of the United States and of this
state desire a more direct share in the
rvvork of civil government.
: Responding to this sentiment, the
last general assembly called upon con-
szress to propose 70 the states for rati-
ldca<1on an amendment to the const1-
tuition Of the Omitted States, providing
lfOr the election Of United States sena-
tors By a direct popular vote. In sew
Rral ether states similar action was
FAzkon, and the result is that such an
shmendment has now been thus pro-
Eposed 10 the people OF the United States
Ho~ their approval, by the action of
ERSear several legislatures. In two
st4tes, Massachusetts and Minnesota,
favorable action was taken last year.
FH recommend the prompt passage by
F&has assembly of vote OF ratification.
This reform might well serve to open
the way to another In which should
BE glad 10 see Connecticut step forward
and take the initiative. refer TO the
mode of elect1ng the president of the
United States.
The same. policy which led the franz
ers OF the federal constitution to in
&eEpose the legislature between the
people and the choice of senators, in
duced them to adopt the device of cleo
eOral colleges for the choice of the
president and vice president 1t was
thought that the members of such a
college would select the men for these
positions with a careful consideration
not 10 be expected from the people
acting directly as a whole. Events
have proved that this reasoning was
fallacious. The electoral colleges In
each state long since became, for each
Of their members, merely an instru-
ment for registering his formal choice
OF men previously selected by a ma
tionaI nominating convention OF the
political party to which he may belong.
Our modern facilities of intercommu-
nication, the general advance in popu-
lar education, and the development of
party government, have created new
conditions, which have devitalized the
Office Of b presidential eleetOr. 1t is
time TO abolish 1t.
I recommend to you the adoption of
a resolution requesting congress to
propose an amendment to the constitu-
ton, abolishing the device of presiden-
tial electors and allowing all the cleo
tors in the several states to vote di-
rectIy for president and vice president;
those who are the choice of a plurality
of those voting in each state to be
credited with the same number of
votes from that state as under the ex-
listing scheme. Connecticut for in
stance, now entitled to cast seven
votes through seven presidential cleo
tors, would be credited in the final can
vass of the votes of all the states with
the same number of seven votes, the
only difference being that they would
have been cast directly by the people
for themselves. The provisions for the
case of a failure of any person to OBJ
tain a majority of the votes so given
by the several states would be the
same as now.
The Veto Power.
Another amendment proposed would
require a two-thirds vote in each
house, instead of a mere majority as
now, to override an executive veto.
The executive has always been, in
Connecticut, the weakest of our three
- r@F Is,
that which most directly represents
the people Elected by a popular vote.
the views of every governor presuma-
bly, reflect those of his constituents,
so that a veto proceeding from him is
really theirs. The principle of the ref
erendum is thus secured and the delay
and expense of specially consulting the
whole body of the electors avoided
> The law as set forth in our general
statutes gives our supreme court of
errors power to review the evidence
in Appealed cases and, if the court be-
low has drawn erroneous conclusions
of fact from it, to grant a new trial. /
1t also gives an appeal to the courts
in many cases, from orders or de-
cfsions of executive or administrative
authorities, such as county commits
sioners OF the public utilities commits
sion.
These provisions of our statutes the
supreme court of errors has held to
be, in whole or part, in violation of
the constitution.
The last house of representatives
proposed an amendment to the con-
stitution to give express and unmis-
taxable sanction to these statutes and
to any similar laws WHICH it may here
after be deemed proper to enact.
recommend this amendment to your
approval.
Such action on your part, while not
ia the nature of a recall of judicial de-
cAsfons, looks to a somewhat similar
result, but one to be accomplished