Putnam patriot., 1926-07-02

H. Irumauil voiced the sentiment ot the entire state when. at a meeting of committee appointed by him 10 in auire into the relations between the federal government and the state he strongly condemned the enereaeh- lments of the federal authority on the sovereignty of the state. He showed | that ke was in full harmony with the spirit of Connecticut in it's devotion to the maintenance of state rights. He sounded a timely note of warning when he said if the encroachments of | the federal government is not stopped Connecticut will soon have no state government Really the attitude of Washington towards the states which make up the Union is becoming seri- ous and it is time that effective steps were taken to check the encroach- lments on the autonomy of the states. When Marcus H. Holcomh was governor he took the same view of the interference of the Washington
 authorities with the local affairs of
 Connecticut and he did not hesitate to
 say that personal liberty was en- dangered by the attitude of Washing
 ton towards the state. The country
 was at war then and it was the part
 of patriotism to endure whatever in-
 convenience might be felt The only thing to be considered was the win
 ming of the war and everything yield.
 ed to that. Ii is of interest to note
 the change in the attitude of the north
 and south towards the doctrine of
 state rights The south fought to
 maintain these rights and the north
 to uphold federal authority. Now the north is the maintainer of the eonsti- l tutional rights of the state while many of the states of the south are, by their course. giving encouragement to ex- cessive federalism. Connecticut has joined with other states of New Eng land in movement for the protection of state rights. It is noticed that the statement of Governor Trumbull on the matter has evoked d sympathetic response from all parts of the state. It would cause no surprise if the Re publican state platform contained a strongly worded plank denouncing the encroaching tendency of Washington to interfere with the rights of Con necticut to manage it's own affairs
 Forest Fires
 The state is profoundly interested in the efforts of the state park and forest commission to prevent forest fires in Connecticut. There has, per haps. been an unusual number of for est fires this year. and the economic loss has been, comparatively. very heavy Ii is to be feared that in the past the legislature has not been alive to the importance of taking adequate steps to support the efforts of off cials to prevent forest fires State l Forester Hawes is doing a commend i able work in his intelligent activities in developing. with the slender hnan- ] cial means at his disposal. an effective plan for preventing forest fires and. where they occur, to extinguish them. | The efforts of Mr. Hawes are often frustrated by the inadequacy of ap- pliances to keep the fires within their | ineipient stage. The eastern part of 1 the state, which includes Windham county, suffered more this year from forest fires than any other section.
 It is the intention of the park and forest commission to ask the general assembly at the session of 1927 for an appropriation that will enable it to safe guard the rural sections of the state from the ravages of fire. Ii is absolutely necessary that something effective should be done to prevent the spread of fires. The development of state owned forest areas is now a set tied policy of the state. but the efforts to make the policy effective is being nullified to a disastrous extent by fir es. II is a we'll known fact that the growing of trees on land. which is not suitable for agricultural purposes, can be made profitable as a commercial proposition Some years ago former Governor Everett J. Lake, who, being in the lumber business. was qualified to form an expert opinion. stated at committee hearing of the general assembly that the growing of trees by the state would yield a profit Of six per cent per annum on the money invested
 The State Ticket
 Whatever may be said about nomi- nations for the state ticket, under that of governor, there is absolute unani- mity for the nomination of Governor Trumbull for another term. He is not now filling the term of governor by the vote of the people but by right of succession. It is reasonable to think that he should wish to fill the office of governor as the expressed choice of the voters of the state. He has certainly earned the qualification of that wish by the manner in which he is filling the office for the unexpir- ed term of Senator Bingham. Wind ham county will have local interest in his election to the governorship, for term that will be all his own, that is by election by his fellow citi- zens of the state He is the first na- tive of Windham county to HI the governorship in eighty-fve years. He was born in the historic town of Ash ford.
 There will be a contest for the no- imitation for lieutenant governor. The present incumbent of that office isI holding it under the same eircum- stances as those by which Governor Trumbull became chief executive and it is believed by many people that the logic of one nomination is ap- plicable to the other. it must be said that there is nothing sin the situation at the present time to indicate that the sentiment of the Republicans of the state are favorable to the aspira- fions of Lieutenant Governor Brain ard to be continued in the office for