The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-05-10
ON CAPITOL HTLL.

Even though members of the State senate lose their heads in the heat of debate over the proposed grant of in- creased charter privileges to public service corporations engaged in the transportation business, and call each other names, 1t is not necessary that the rest of us should do so. It is probably true that where there is so much smoke there must be some fire, and sufficient amount of it to justify steps being taken to put 1t out with the waters of publicity, but 1t is yet to be learned that the great railroad giant of the State has suddenly be- come, through any of its legislative agents, an intimidator of it's creator and debaucher of the morals thereof It is also to be learned that gentle man who represents in the State sen ate constituency so reputable and prosperous as the city of Meriden, in his zeal to advance the fortune of the Meriden and Middletown trolley, has himself resorted to tactics in them selves as questionable in character as these attributed to the railroads legislative agents. At present we all knew altogether too little about the affair to enter a final judgment.
 There are, however, several incidents of the bad feeling of the winter, lead ing up to Wednesdays outbreak in the senate, which ought not to be over- looked, even though in themselves they do not perhaps establish a chain of direct evidence supporting the alto- gether too widespread belief that the influence of the corporations is para mount in the halls of legislation in | Connecticut. It is charged that the legislative agents of the New Haven lRailroad company have acted with in- discretion in their method of approach ing members of the legislature Like Caesars wife they should be above suspicion. Secret conferences in de- partment rooms with members, affect l ing matters which have been or should have been thoroughly discussed ir | committee, though morally within the rights of 8 corporation, carry with them to persons not given to mear suspicion an impression which such a l corporation should be the first tc avoid. Had there not been at least IT | the past the best of reasons for beliey. ing that the railroad corporations oI the State have interfered with legls. lation, to control 1t arbitrarily, per haps no one would have thought of at
 taching now to Mir Robbins inter
 est a meaning to which it is not en titled. Because that record of the pas
 is written the best of reasons existed ! TUT lIl6 6AtI ClSt Ol 6AlI dOIulldIy y Cuu
 ton. So, too, the contentment ex | pressed by President Mellen with beini
 able to tell frankly what favors hi | properties needed and then leaving tn
 legislature free to act, contributed
 from a popular point of view to diff
 ferent policy than it is charged ha
 been followed.
 We hold briefs for no one of thes
 corporations, nor are we interested i
 their affairs except as their conduct af
 fects the good name of the State, tn
 character of the service given, or a
 it. in this instance, throws light upo
 the scandal developing on Capitol Hi
 at Hartford. If nothing more tha
 bad judgment has been exercised
 which we are strongly inclined t
 think is the fact, it is time all partie
 to the unfortunate transaction learne
 to proceed with more caution and
 greater respect for the good name C
 Connecticut. We can think of nothin