The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-03-25
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1881
Victory In Defeat

When the republicans of the General As sembfy turned down the first of the governors already numerous appointments yesterday by rejecting Professor Richard Joyce Smith for the public utilities commission they created political lever that the democratic party can use to good advantage in it's l932 campaign for state control By no stretch of the imag- ination can any other reason be aserbed for Mir Smiths defeat than that he IS d democrat and the republican party has been warned by it's state chairman not 10 permit democrats 10 be placed on tbat holy of holies, the public utilities commission.
 It was strictly party vote that defeated the Smith nomination yesterday. It was strictly partisan reason that republican leg islators offered for refusing to confirm his appointment. Too much theory seems to be the gist of their remarks. His knowledge of the laws governing public utilities cannot compare with the practical knowledge of MT Alsop whom the Yale law professor would have replaced on the commission With all due respect to Mir Alsop and his confreres on the public utilities commission We would like to ask if any one of them could boast the same unquestioned ability in his particular field as is Professor Smiths today. when they were first named commissioners. We doubt it very much, although We are ready 10 agree that the present commission was appointed strictly on its merits.
 But the fact remains that t is the governors prerogative to reappolnt the old. or name new commissioners when terms expire. And if the governor sees fit to inject new blood into commission which has been held up to quite d bit of criticism of late years we must regard the change as for the best interests of the state In picking Richard Joyce Smith to replace Mir Alsop the governor did not criticize the latter's service upon the public utilities com mission. but having been elected governor by the voters of Connecticut he saw fit 10 place on this highly important commission man whom he knew by personal contact and experience would be perhaps it's outstanding member and in time restore the commission to it's place of prestige. For political reasons he was refused this right, the first time since 1923 that the legislature has turned down gubernatora appointment.
 There will be plenty of people ready to believe that the hand of Mir Roraback was behind this move by the republican majority in the legislature. Maybe he didn't have any thing to do with it whatsoever. But We do know that republicans will have hard time convincing the majority of voters that he didn't. for inasmuch as the public utilities commission is supposed to exercise some re- straint over electric power rates and Mir Rora back is concerned with the electrical power interests of Connecticut the twain seem to meet. All of which means lot of explain ing is due And should the governor appoint another democrat 10 succeed Mir Alsop and he in turn is rejected by the legislature this belief will be strengthened in many minds. It's perilous situation for the republican party We doubt if it can weather the storm sue cessfuly Its losses will be recorded in No vcmber. 1932.