Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-23
THE Ho1ysAroS1C,s CASE.

THE HOUSATONIC's CASE.
 Those who have followed the proceed ings before the legislative committee that has in hand the petition of the Housatonic road for an increase of it's capital stock have been struck particu- larly with one fact-the sincerity and good faith of the men who are identified with the project. The candor shown by MT Starbuck and Colonel Stevenson, the utter absence of any effort at lodging or concealment on their part, will go far toward establishing in the public mind the fact that these men see in the exten- sion of their road a legitimate and profit able business venture. Colonel Steven son is we'll and favorably known in Con- necticut, and no man stands higher in the public confidence which he has earned by a life of the strictest personal and business integrity. His association with the Housatonic and his assurance that nothing is proposed beyond health full and proper competition is the best guarantee that there is nothing of a speculative or improper nature connect ed with the purposes of the road.
 The legislation asked for by the Hous- atomic would place the road on a level with its competitors. It would allow it the privilege that other roads have of building branches of thirty miles each and would extend the provisions of the roads charter as to construction, etc, to these branches; would allow bond issues on account of branch construction to the amount of one-half the construc- tion and equipment, or not exceeding the amount which shall be found to have been expended on the branches by a commission, president and treasurer of the road and a civil engineer to be ap- pointed by the railroad commissioners. To buy leased roads or the stock therein additional stock is wanted which would bring the total stock of the road up to $9. .0O0, ,000, and present stockholders are to have the preference in securing new stock. For the purpose of competing with the Consolidated road for New York business the Housatonic is desir- ous of purchasing the franchise and property of the New York and Connecti- cut Air Line road (the Olmsted paralleD and extending the time of building on this route to November, 1893. Such in ! brief is the character of the legislation which the assembly is asked to grant, and it has yet to be shown that this leg islatlon will be other than beneficial to the state and the people.
 On general principles it may be said that competition is always healthful, and the less people are exposed to the possible exactions of monopoly the better. The fruits of too exclusive priv ileges may be seen all around us in those great corporations that have no rivalry 1 in their line of service and against whose exactions or impositions the indi- vidual and the public have no redress. There is no question that the rights of capital should be equal in Connecticut, and our legislature should not be made a vehicle for transferring rights that be- long to all to any favored or select com bination. The DEMOCRAT has no inter- est in this railroad struggle beyond it's desire to see justice to all and to secure legislation that will insure fair competi- tion and the most perfect service of the public. This it believes conscientiously will be best promoted by the projects which the Housatonic has in view, and it is for this reason that we are strenu ous in urging our legislators to act favor ably on the petition of the road. We do not think that the public will be sat- isfied with any action that would deny the fair, reasonable and just demands of the road, and in this connection we would urge our representatives from Waterbury to place themselves on the right side and vote favorably to the road.
 There can be nothing but benefit to the
 public from the concession of the powers
 petitioned for.