New Britain herald., 1917-02-21
DID REPUBLICANS
 USE STATE PAPER?
Democrat Makes Charge in Def.
 CienCy Bill Debate

Hartford, Feb. 21.-The general as- sembly today had business enough to keep it sitting for considerable per- iod. An unfavorable report was made on Judge Mathewson's proposition to abolish county commissions on the chief ground that no substitutes for the present system was put forward A favorable report was made on the bill aimed to end the office of Huuor prosecutors by giving prosecuting at torneys and grand jurors the right to bring complaints of violation of the liquor laws.
 Lorenzo D. Fairbrother, for deputy judge of the Stonington court. was named in a resolution favorably re- ported.
 The senate confirmed the governors nomination of George A. Parker of Hartford, Edward H. Wilkins and Her man H. Chapman to the state board.
 The labor committee reported fa- vorably a bill to require examination of lighting and sanitary conditions in railroad round houses.
 This committee reported unfavor- ably on bills to provide an eight hour day for state employees and on another providing one days rest in seven for employees in hotels and restaurants.
 The proposition to require journey men electricians to be licensed was un- favorably, reported.
 In the House.
 The house rejected a bill on an un- favorable report offered by Repre- sentative Rogers of Manchester, which would make it unnecessary for witnesses before the public utilities commission to qualify as experts. MT. Rogers, speaking for the bill, said that in the Manchester trolley fare controversy the commission refused to hear many witnesses regarding traffi: and fare conditions because they could not qualify as experts in railroad matters. MT. Rogers motion to have tho report tabled was de- feated
 Favorable reports were received on bills requiring the state highway commissioner to make an annual re- port and giving towns thirty days in which to pay assessments for town road improvements made by the state.
 Thirty New Britain citizens sent ill a petition favorable to national prohibition amendment.
 The senate confirmed Edward Dick inlSson as judge and Francis A. Pal lotti as assistant judge of the Hart ford court
 The senate took up the New Haven judgship resolutions for debate.
 Deficiency Bill Reported.
 The big fight in the legislature today was in the senate by democratic op- position to the general deficiency bill as reported by the appropriations As soon as the bill was taken up. Senator Dougham of New Haven went through the bill item by item making general and specific criticisms of these. He said he was that the amount of the de- fciencies was so large when the gen. eral assembly in 1915 had made largo enough appropriations to cover all de- partments.
 Senator OSullivan took up the fight at this point and claimed that the ad- of Governor Holcomb had not been as economical and business-like as claimed, and that it was not as economical as that of Gov ernor Baldwin. The showing of les sened debt, the senator claimed, was due to increased revenue from taxa ton and not to savings in departments. He said that it was his opinion that the administration of Governor Hol- comb cost from $100.0OO to s6OO,OOO more than Governor Baldwin's.
 The senator claimed that there was disregard for the law which was SUD- posed to keep departmental heads from spending more then their ap- propriations. He also criticised the bill because many items of S1O.000 and
 
 as required by the law. He said that some appropriations were 100 per cent. greater thap in the previous years. Senator O'Sullivan noted there was a deficiency item of $3O, 900 in the paper account and said he really thought during the campaign, he received literature which had been printed on paper bearing the states water mark. He had found out that this paper was not available except to state officers and he wanted to know if the state l central committee had used state paper for it's printing.
 Senator Boyd, chairman of the com | mittee, started to explain that the de- 1 fciency was due to the increased cost l of paper when he was interrupted by 1 Senator Hemenway who demanded an l answer to the charge that some of the l deficiency of s30,00o was due to use l of the paper by republican politicians. 1 Senator Boyd could not say whether 1 or not any of that deficiency was due to that cause. Senator Broder then 1 said that it was unfair to continue to 1 debate the bill until the charge could l be replied to-. {,
 Senator K1ett, the majority leader, said that the bill needed no defense | but he would have it tabled until the l committee could be ready for further l explanation and this was done. ;
 HOLIDAY P. o. HOURS.
 Tomorrow will be observed as a l holiday at nnst offjca l