The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-01-04

Hartford, Conn, Jan. 4. (UF)- Gov. Wilbur Lucius Cross, Connec- ticut,s first eight-year chief execu- tive since the Civil War, stepped out of office today, concluding an administration which marked de- cisive turning point in the states history.
 It was his greatest ambition to be a ten-year governor-five successive terms. But man half his age re- ceived a thousand or two more votes through a combination of un- usual circumstances, and his dream of reelection was shattered.
 'T did the best I could" he told a legislators meeting recently, in summing up his regime.
 Best Legislation
 And here are a few examples of his "best":
 Virtual complete reorganization of the state government, including in- Stitution of a merit system, central purchasing and budgeting systems, and the launching of one of the largest Capital building programs.
 Wrecking of the old guard Repub- lican machine dominated for quar- ter of a century by the late J. Henry Roraback.
 Gradual elimination of the "Spoils System" in government through adoption of the Civil Ser vice system.
 Extending to women the right to serve on juries.
 Creation of model labor legisla- tion destined to wipe out sweat shops and protect women and minors in industry.
 Formulation of banking policy functioning as "safety-valve" against bank failures.
 Designation of the state bank commissioner as receiver for insol- vent institutions.
 Refusal to tolerate sit-down strikes.
 A firm rejection of horse-racing and other forms of legalized gam bling.
 Regulation of the milk industry.
 Creation of a special committee to restrict investment of state funds to "gilt edge securities.
 Establishment of an unemploy- ment insurance system recognized nationwide as without a superior.
 Sane supervision of liquor laws.
 Institution of programs to wipe out antiquated methods of jail de- tentions; improve the care and treatment of feeble-minded; rid the waterways of pollution, participate in New England flood control con- pact, and provide old age pensions and a more closely supervised well fare system, with emphasis on child welfare.
 c. O. F. Machine Wrecked
 His greatest accomplishments came during the latter years of his ad- ministration. When he first entered office, the General Assembly as well as other state officers, were Repub- hcan. He did not come into his own until the Roraback machine had been dismantled and the Democrats controlled the executive branch of the government and obtained ma- jority in the Senate. The House al- ways has been Republican.
 Even when it appeared clear sail ing in the 1885 session, Socialists elected three members of the Senate and organized the upper branch with the Republicans to make the legis- lative road more difficult to travel.
 It was during 1897 session that most of the reforms went through, with Republicans in the House not daring to oppose too strenuously.
 xet, while all these measures were being passed one after the other, the first murmurings of scandal in the state government were heard. The explosion came late in 1887 and early in 1938-just before election and it proved the governors un- doing, even though he had nothing whatsoever to do with it.
 The Merritt Parkway and Water bury municipal scandals gave So- cialist Jasper McLevy the oppor- tunity to cry: "The governor didn't know what was going on."
 From reliable sources, it was learned the governor knew what was happening, but his hands were tied.
 Gov. Cross himself, prior to elec- tion, said he was unable to "get in- to" the state highway department because it was "a law unto itself". The governor added it was not un- til the new budgeting system was installed on July l, 1887 that he was able to start the highway depart