The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-20
MELLEN DENOUNCESS
 HEPBURN RATE BILL
CONSIDERS IT 4 MOST PERNIC- I0US PIECE OF LEGIsLA-
 TIOM

Frequently MisquOted as FavOring the Measure-BeIieves it Fraught With the Greatest Danger to This Section of the Country-Bad and Full of Evil PossibiIities--May Have Been Cum ningIy Devised by Someone Opposed to All Legislation So Utterly Subver- ' sive is It of All Principles of Justice Important Announcement to Hart ford-Electrificati0n of Certain Steam Lines Entering City.
 Hartford. March 19.-President c. S.. Mellen. of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, tonight deliver ed an address before the Get-Together club, at it's meeting in Jewell hall. He took as his subject "The Hepburn Rate Bill," and in discussing it, declared that he considered the bill bad and full of evil possibilities, He said he con sidered 1t fraught with the greatest danger to that section of the country in which he has his home and business, and said he believed that the measure had been drafted with some ulterior motive. MT. Mellen's address in full ', is as follows:
 It has been suggested that my re- marks this evening be upon the pending rate bill commonly referred to as "the Hepburn bill,' and no other or more agreeable subject could have been pro posed for, incidentally, I shall take oc- casion to set one matter right, regard ing which I have been greatly misun- derstood and too frequently misquoted. to my great annoyance, l. e., my own position in connection with the propos- ed legislation.
 It is claimed that favor this bill and everything I have said upon the subject (which has been very little) has been so construed, while the fact is # I regard it in it's present form as a most pernicious piece of Legislation one of the worst that has attracted my M attention.
 I believe it to be fraugllt with the greatest danger to that section of the country in which have my home, and the business interests of which are my x constant study and care
 The bill is so bad, and is full of such evil possibilities (regarding which I am disposed to believe some of its advo- cates have been imposed upon), it vii probably overshoot the mark, and 8 careful examination causes me to spec qllate whether 1t may not have beer cunningly devised by someone opposed to all legislation, so utterly subversivt is it of all principles or justice, so ut terly regardless is it of all warrant 1T constitutionality so arbitrary and au focratic is 1t in it's provisions regarding unimportant matters, that it may wei & be it was the design to cause disgust 1istrust and antagonism among al right thinking and fair minded men. Na If such 8, result should obtain 1t will in my judgment, be misfortune to th' railroads as we'll as the public, for tht need of additional legislation I have al ways admitted, have publicly advocated and my position in that respect is un changed at the present time.
 The power of the railroads Is toc great to be longer permitted to be exer cised without greater restraint in thu interest of the public. Directors do no always direct, officials are not alway competent, power long exercised make men offensive, autocratic and arbitrary and stockholders, employees and tn public suffer and pay the bill.
 An absolute autocratic form of gov ernment. with the right man at tn head. is said to be the best, and tri may well be true. but the trouble is tn right man is so seldom at the head, anC the wrong man so frequently in evi dence, we cannot afford to run the risl on account of the average.
 So with out transportation interests thev are so vast, their power for goo ar evil is so tremendous, and the pubi has SO great an interest, it should neve permit such power to rest in the hand of any set of men, even, except unde carefully guarded restraints as to tn exercise of that power, and with tn greatest possible publicity of all that done
 Any legislation along lines that wi accomplish the practical elimination c nreferences and determinations Gan sA 4he nresent laws have nearly accom- Nj plished their purpose in these respects) amendments to existing laws requirin the frequent examination of books, rec ords and accounts, as in the case C national banks, with the fullest return and their publication and accessibility Will do more good to the public (and b without harm to the carriers) than an such legislation as is now pending be fore the United States senate
 It makes no difference what laws ar framed if they are not enforced; mul der will be committed, thieves wi break in and steal, rebates and discrln iration will continue, but to all intent and purposes the results desired wi be accomplished when the officers the government do their duty and brin the offenders before the courts.
 It will be infinitely more to the aC vantage of the country if those in ar Nj thority enforce the laws now in eXis ence until their inadequacy Is apparer rather than assumed, and evidenc their sincerity by acts and deeds ratht than by assertion of what they woul do If only granted more authority
 is the servant who does well in sma +l,inps that Is made rll1er over man