The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-10-18
TIE 1EGISuArlEE AaENr


 President Mellen of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company is quoted from a letter to a friend as being opposed to the reten- ton of legislative agents in State halls of legislation. He says: Personally, I am an earnest believer in the officers of companies like our own appearing in person before legislative commit tees in advocacy of needed legislation, and hope to make the departure of discontinuing having legislative agents at the capitol to care for our inter- ests."
 It would be an instructive task if some one familiar with the history of legislative doing since the organization of the New York and New Haven railroad would undertake to trace the evolution of the legislative agent. He has only been known as such for a few years but giving him name of larger dignity has not materially changed his character. In the olden days, if we surmise fairly, the legisla- tive agent was one of a mixed group of lawyers and politicians, who occu- pied the chairs in the corridors when the legislature was in session but who button-holed the members from the moment adjournment was taken. They constituted the lobby, in other words. Through all of the administrations previous to this of MT. Mellen's it was the practice of company officials to either absent themselves from the halls of legislation or hide them selves in hotel rooms, where the lobby agents could conveniently report. Charles P. Clark did once, but under stress, appear before the committee on railroads in person to advocate an in- crease of the company's capital stock. John M. Hall made his appearance several times, but the rule under their administrations, as under the adminis- trations of their predecessors, was to leave the job of suasion out to the princes of the lobby and their retain CTS. President Mellen has been the conspicuous exception to the rule. He has appeared officially before the leg islative committee each time the seri- ousness of the cause warranted.
 The question has been asked, why should not the responsible officials of the railroad company appear in advo- cacy of their petitions? We should scarcely feel warranted in putting the proposition in that interrogative form. We should say that 1t should be the rule to require officials of all public service and chartered corporations to appear in behalf of petitions and claims presented in their name. This rule might be suspended in matters of only routine importance but rigidly enforced in matters which seek In any way to alter the existing relationship between the corporations and the State government. A corporation is g creature of the State and enjoys only such power as it's charter prescribes Its life is not necessarily a long one because it is chartered. The power tc create preconceives the power to de. stroy If the conditions warrant sucr drastic treatment To keep this fac constantly before the eyes of the cor. porations is to reinforce the dignity o1 government, on the one hand, and or the other, to preserve the rights ot the public The trouble with the Con. necticut legislature has been that i has proceeded along the theory that a charter possesses eternal life.
 It may fairly be said in President Mellen's behalf that his abandonment of legislative agents follows a settled conviction on the subject and is not z reflection of the new policy we ma, well believe corporations generally vii adopt as a consequence of the revela tions ip New York. The open door pol icy of treating with the General As sembly has become a necessity If cor porations are to he kept within bounds, This means in addition to tn, appearance of railroad officials befor the legislative committees the utmos publicity through the press. WheI the desirable condition is brough about the gentle art of "acceleration' as practiced by Lemuel C. Quigg o New York will be impossible c achievement. The ground floor will open to all and the gospel of eth square deap will take on unsuspecte, qualities and characteristics.