CONNECTICUT. 



209 



George M. Woodruff, W. H. Haywood, John 

 W. Bacon succeeded by William 0. Seymour ; 

 Chief Justice of Supreme Court, John D. 

 Parks; Associate Justices, Elisha Carpenter, 

 D wight W. Pardee, D wight Loomis, Miles T. 

 Granger succeeded by Sidney B. Beardsley. 

 The first five officers were elected by the Leg- 

 islature in January, there being no choice by 

 the people in the election of 1886. 



Legislative Session. The session of this year 

 was the first under the biennial system estab- 

 lished by a recent amendment to the constitu- 

 tion. It continued from January 5 till May 

 15. United States Senator Joseph R. Hawley, 

 Republican, was re-elected early in the session 

 by a vote of 128 to 98 for Charles R. Ingersoll, 

 Democrat. The refunding of a part of the 

 public debt was accomplished by an act au- 

 thorizing the redemption of $1,030,000 of 

 bonds issued in 1877 and bearing 5 per cent, 

 interest on or before the 1st of August of 

 this year. To enable the treasurer to do this, 

 he was empowered to issue new bonds to the 

 amount of $1,000,000 bearing 3 per cent, in- 

 terest from May 2, and payable May 1, 1897. 

 The remaining $30,000 of bonds were to be 

 paid out of funds already in the treasury. 

 The new bonds were made exempt from taxa- 

 tion. Under this law the State treasurer, by 

 advertising for bids, was able to sell the new 

 bonds in June at a premium, one half of them 

 at 103-27 and one half at 102-55. 



The State tax for 1886 was 2 mills on the 

 dollar, an increase over former years necessi- 

 tated by extraordinary expenses for building 

 new armories, and for the enlargement and 

 improvement of the State prison. No such 

 expenses being required for 1887 and 1888, 

 the Legislature restored the former rate of 1 

 mills on the dollar. 



The following resolutions were passed by the 

 lower house : 



Kesolved, That the following be proposed as an 

 amendment to the constitution of the State, which, 

 when approved and adopted in the manner provided 

 by the constitution, shall to all intents and purposes 

 become a part thereof, viz. : The manufacture or 

 compounding of, and sale or keeping for sale of, in- 

 toxicating liquors, excepting for sacramental, medici- 

 nal, scientific, mechanical, and art purposes, shall be 

 and hereby are prohibited in this State ; and it shall 

 be the duty of the Legislature to pass laws for the en- 

 forcement of this article. 



Kesolved, that the foregoing proposed amendment 

 to the constitution be continued to the next general 

 assembly, and be published with the laws passed at 

 the present session. 



The principal sums voted for specific objects 

 were, for the Statute Revision Commission, 

 $18,000 ; for the Industrial School for Girls, 

 $10,000; State Reform School, $30,500; for 

 preserving the record of the Connecticut Vol- 

 unteers, $25,000 ; Danbury Hospital, $6,000 ; 

 Waterbnry Hospital, $25,000; Fitch's Soldiers 1 

 Home, for the purchase of land, $8,000 ; School 

 for Imbeciles, $5,000. 



Other acts of the session were as follow : 



VOL. xxvu. 14 A 



To subject trust and investment companies to the 

 supervision of the bank commissioners. 



To punish false pretenses in obtaining the registra- 

 tion of cattle and other animals, and to punish giving 

 false pedigrees. 



Restricting railroad traffic on Sunday to cases of 

 necessity or mercy, and providing that the highest 

 regular fare shall be charged on that day ; season, 

 mileage, or commutation tickets not being receivable. 



To punish desertions by husbands. 



Eaising the age of consent in females from ten to 

 fourteen years. 



To procure enforcement of the law requiring the at- 

 tendance of children at school. 



Regulating the rights and duties of electric compa- 

 nies, m placing their wires in public highways. 



To punish blackmail. 



Providing that no person shall practice dentistry 

 unless he has a diploma from some duly authorized 

 dental college ; or has had eighteen months' expe- 

 rience in a dental office and attended a course of lect- 

 ures ; or, if from another State, a certificate from a 

 board of dental examiners, or six years' practice. 



To prevent discrimination by life -insurance compa- 

 nies against persons of color. 



Prohibiting and punishing the employment of wonr= 

 en or children under sixteen years of age more than 

 ten hours a day in any manufacturing, mercantile, 01 

 mechanical establishment. 



Providing for weekly payments of wages. 



Enabling the agents of the Connecticut Humane 

 Society to take charge of and care for animals neglect- 

 ed, abandoned, or cruelly treated, and to destroy dis- 

 eased, disabled, or useless animals. 



Providing that imitation butter shall not be sold or 

 used unless the fact of such sale or use is plainly 

 stated on a printed notice posted at the place of sale 

 or use ; that it shall only be sold in packages labeled 

 to show the fact of such imitation, and appointing 

 and creating a dairy commissioner to enforce these 

 provisions. 



To prevent the sale of liquors at agricultural fairs. 



To regulate the sale of medicines and poisons. 



Imposing a tax on the net earnings of any registered 

 or enrolled sailing-vessel. 



Revising the law regarding collection of taxes. 



Providing for the punishment of incorrigible crim- 

 inals. 



To establish free public highways across the Con- 

 necticut river in Hartford County. 



Eequiring insurance agents to obtain a license from 

 the insurance commissioner. 



Enabling women to be eligible to any office con- 

 nected with, the management of the public schools. 



Adopting the revision of the general statutes made 

 by the commission appointed for that purpose. 



Providing for the inspection of factories as to dan- 

 gerous machinery, bad ventilation, etc. 



Revising the methods of assessing the valuation of 

 railroads, and imposing a tax of 1 per cent, on such 

 valuation, and also on the amount of their funded or 

 floating indebtedness. 



That treasurers of savings-banks shall give new 

 bonds at least oiice in six years. 



That a druggist shall not make more than one sale 

 on any liquor prescription. 



That houses of persons who make a business of 

 taking children under ten years to board, exceeding 

 two at the same time, shall be under the supervision 

 of the selectmen, and inspected monthly. 



Amending the militia law so as to recognize the 

 machine-gun platoons, and adding trumpeters to the 

 militia. 



That no cemetery association shall make any regu- 

 lation prohibiting the erection of headstones provided 

 by the State for the graves of soldiers, sailors and 

 marines. 



That $10,000 of bonds, mortgages, or money held 

 by any church shall be exempt from tax, provided 

 th' e revenue is used for church purposes, r.nd provided 



