The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-06
DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATORS MUST KEEP THE
PARTY FAITH OR THEY WILL DESTROY
THE PARTY

THE PARTY
The General Assembly, which will begin its work
Wednesday, with unusual responsibilities.
represents the determination of the people to have bet
ter conditions IN the government OF Connecticut 1t IS on
The people, sick and disguised with the methods and
legislation of machine that had seized the Republican
party. turned the Democratic party and gave it
substantial majority the Senate almost majority in
the House, and Democratic executives.
All of these Democrats have been elected upon party
platform which pledges them to Do certain things They
for doubt the doubt is be resolved in favor of
the thing that it was proposed to do.
The Democratic PLATFORM which, under the constitu-
tion the supreme guide of the Democratic members of
was. not made in haste nor in darkness. It was not
written in a perfunctory spirit to catch votes.
The convention that framed the platform did SO IN
the light of experience. Platform matters had been
sidered the General Assembly Of 1911 Leaders of both
parties had taken the ground that platform promises
merely to get votes with and not contracts with the
pie.
ed and unconscionabe regulations of public duty
fresh in the mind of every delegate to the
convention and the Democratic platform brought
to being in the knowledge that its reputation by Dem
ocrat any essential particular would the earlier
reputation of the Democracy by the people.
The value of the Democracy will be judged by the
value it sets upon its promises to the people.
Tt MUST pass a Workmen's compensation law.
It MUST pass an honest direct primary law.
It MUST pass laws providing for the initiative and
It MUST extend the franchise women.
It MUST repeal the personal tax.
It MUST give home rule to cities.
A fair beginning has been made Unofficialy the
Democrats of both houses have organized They have
raised unofficial committee, which has
mttees which in turn have undertaken that bills sub
stantialy carrying every platform pledge shall
duced into the General Assembly proper
committees.
Means have been see that Democrats shall be
in their seats when important taken wise pro
vision against absentees, which has been the
interests in the General Assembly always in their
seats
What has thus far been done has been well done but
cy, the neraIAsseby who hope continue the
old regime of favoritis, corruption extravaganza and
theft under the forms law
The lobbyists are beginning to make their anDear-
They already hang about the edges Of the places
where Democratic legislators assembled. This
brood is not Republican. It is Democratic The
ylsts are some OF the who have held office the
Democratic party and who hold of the powers of
Democratic leadership Their presence is sinister omen
and they bode i'll for the future of Democracy.
It will i'll in the future at the very
OF the session the Legislature purges itself of the brood
of the lobby.
The first work of the session should be law to be eff
fectve upon the signature Of the declaring what
is LAWFUL and what is CRIMINAL in practice before
the General Assembly.
The SECRET PERSONAL SOLICITATION of lee-
isators must be forbidden violation must result n
the imprisonment of the offender
Lobbying by secret solicitation is and always has
BEEN illegal in the United States now be made
criminal for the protection of society good name
of the state?
AS surely the General Assembly fails to deal with
the lobby evil and fails EARLY with IT. the use
fness OF the Assembly will be abored people will
be disappointed
To that class of Democrats who are Of the school of
the jobs only, few of whom still nger on the stage
may be said that the way to remove Democrats
from their jobs will be for the Democrats in the General
Assembly to fall under the of the lobby become
untrue to the pledges their party made name to
the people.
Democrats hold their tenure of office bv few thon
sand votes small change in public sentiment will wine
in