The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-04-28
TUESDAY, APRIL 2S, 1881
Our Political Courts

Evidence continues to accumulate to show
 that republican control of Connecticut is de- 5, pendent in some part upon court. patronage.
 From the outset 1t was evident to any clear
 minded person that Legislative body, safely republican. would not dare to change present
 conditions in the courts of the state. T hat opinion is generally subscribed to now that the General Assembly IS nearly ready to recess until 1933. We could date our story from :; the very first hearing on the so-ealled district court bill which was turned down simply because Connecticut is 'town-mnded, as one republican legislator put 1t.
 The district court bill was propounded by ~ttc Connecticut judicial council. It had the backing of the ablest lawyers of the state. Governor Cross gave it his approval. Demo- it. It would have eliminated our present sys tenn of city. town, and police courts and sub stituted number of judicial districts to be manned by judges appointed by the governor with legislative approval, as are most of the higher court judges now. Of course it would have taken away from the Legislature the right to name judges in every one of our o9 towns and cities, save New Haven, whose case will be discussed in this article.
 That was the first effort that proved of no avail. Then we might mention in quick succession the tumult of the Hartford police court judgeships. The Hartford republican town committee had given its support to two candidates for judgeships The Legislature named two others despite the hue and cry and the appeal that was made to Mir Rorabaek himself to interest himself in the matter. The New Haven city charter was amended so that statute invoked in 1917 at republican request was dropped. Since 1917 republican governors have named New Havens city court judges. Governor Cross, a democrat. nominated democratic and a republican judge, whcreupon the Legislature dropped the statute and New Haven judges will be named by the Legislature as are those in the other cities and towns of Connecticut.
 Since 1885 it has been the custom for the Common Council of Middletown to appoint ths court prosecutor. It's rather unusual custom even Governor Cross admitted. Yet when the Common Council was preparing to- rename the democratic prosecutor the Legis- .lature repealed this statute and gave the power ,of appointment to the judge of the court l he present prosecutor has served since 92l, but will make way for republican prosecutor named by republican judge. Funny this procedure didn't occur to the Legislature at previous sessions. Now we arrive at Water biry's part in the comedy. Perhaps the Hartford Times explanation might aid the cause.
 3# And only this week the machine swept into the Waterbury court of common pleas to 3Sve the jobs of Prosecutor William J. Lar kin and the clerk and assistant clerk, all re- publicans The judge of that court has been making these appointments himself. Since Governor Cross has appointed Edward J. Finn as judge. Mir Larkn anticipated his re- placement by democrat if the legislature, as 1t is expected to do, confirms the appoint pnent Therefore Mir Larkin went to the general assembly with bill. It provided that both the judge and the deputy judge, who IS Miles F. MeNiff, a republican, must concur in the appointment of the prosecutor, clerk and assistant clerk The bill has become law Now all the deputy judge has to do IS to refuse to concur with any new appoint ments of the presiding judge and the incum- bents remain on the job.
 All of which goes to prove that while It may be money that makes the mare go, 1t certainly is the courts of the state that keep the republican party where it is today. Whoever coined that expression of keeping our judiciary out of politics certainly didn't realize the extent of the task he was proposing. It just simply can be done as far as the republicans are concerned. And they are greatly con eerned in retaining every means of patronage as the l932 elections loom with evil portent.