Putnam patriot., 1923-11-09


 nam Patriot.
 Hartford. Nov. 6.-Those who fa- vor the nomination of John M. Wad- hams. of Goshen, for governor. at the Republican state convention. and who would be glad to work for it. are somewhat handicapped by the relue. tanee of Mr. Wadhams to even dis cuss it. He has not sad he would na~ accept the nomination. bat he refuses to do any candlduting for it. lt IS doubtful fl anyone else would he thought of fer the nomination if Mr Madhams would but say that h. would accept it. Some years ago when most of the Republican leaders. and many other Republicans of influence but who were not leaders in their party, were desireus af presenting his name to the convention for the nomination of lieutenant governor, he positively refused to sanction their purpose and they ceased to mention his name only when he said he would refuse the nomination If t were tendered him. There is no one go thoroughly versed in state affairs as Mir. Wadhams. He is a consistent Republican and one of the fine old Connecticut type whe sees in his party organization an inStru- ment for securing to the state the best possible government and efficient ser vice. He is too broad d.guaged and too fair-mindcd to think that his party has a monopoly of civic virtue. The state k indebted to him for the eN- b. haa I.ts.. aa fi,A tat man of the board of finance, and no one appreciates this fact more than his colleagues on the board. Byron D. Bugbee Of Putnam, who WIS one of Governor Lakes best appointments, and Treasurer Gilpatric. Whenever a number of men get together to talk over state affairs, with Mr- Madhams as one of their number. there IS mark ed difference paid to what he says and everyone wants his opinion. This was particularly noticeable at the confer ruees with the governor on the subject of the creation of the office of pur. chasing agent Governor femplcton and Mir Nadhams were not in accord on the subject. but the governor paid marked attention to what he said.
 Defects in Pension System
 
 The present system of state pensions ! is net satisfactory. lt was diseredited when the law governing 1t was chang. | ed for personal reasons and Co bring state officials under t who otherwise were not entitled to pensions That Ismaeked of personal favaritism and 1 the pension system has net recovered from it The system is sa elastic and ] the law 70 defective that It-is possible ] for a person to he on the pension list, drawing q pension. and on Che active payroll of the state at the same time. ] Not ouly Is this possible bat it actual | ly exists. it also permits the em- ployment of persons who are the pen sioners of municipalities. The heHo. fcence of the state in establishing q pension system is abused. or course everything is done under the law and i in accordance with the acts of the gen. eral assembly. But even lesslators are not immune from the human ten dency to folly and the rfuneness to do foolish things. The system under which aehoai teachers are pensioncd ! is based on a principle that is more attractive than tine state pension sys' ] tenn. The teachers pay five per cent of their salaries towards a pension ] fund. and they have the privilege to withdraw their contributions Co the ! fund at any time. The school teachers of the state occupy the most important positions in the service of the people and certainly the most useful. The state could afford to dispense with the work of hundreds of those on it's pay ] roll, but not with the services of one school teacher. IL has been suggest cd that state employees of all kinds should be required to contribute q small percentage of their salaries e pension fund, ns the teachers do The matter may come up for consid- eration at the next session of the gen eral assembly.