The morning journal-courier., 1908-10-21

CaI Ol the ldW-lOAlUB DOQSt
 For example my home town of Wa ternury asked. through Its representa- lives, that 1t be given the right to lay | In which 1t might compel the | electric companies to lay the wires that are dls0surng our streets and en- daugering the lives of our people Tho request was not favorahly considered.
 Within a few months thereafter the Southern New England Telephone com | panN with charming ingenuousness, approached the city authorities with a request that they might lay conduts 1 through our streets and own them per petuallt, and do with them as they pleased
 The telephone company had the leg islatlve authority to do what a great ! and growing city of 750O0 could not do What brought about such an unjust | and eNasperatIng sltuation7 If you need to be told that it was the lobby on Capitol Hfl you are indeed ilI inform ed in the ways of legislation and the influence that surround 1t.
 The Fountain Head.
 The fountain head of most of our legislative evils to-day, not only in Connecticut but in almost every state Tn the union Is that Institution that promotes special legislation, known as the lobby, takes from the people i'm menselv valuable rights. often without a cent of remuneration to the state or the towns. and does fl hy fair or un- fair means aa the eXlgencies of the moment demand
 The democratic press has had a good deal to say In this campaign of the reluctance of tho republican assembly 10 support Governor Wood ruff in his progressive ideas during the last session. Do y1u want to know who were the real opponents of those ideas2 Is it necessary 10 tell you that almost the only obstacle to the eover nors plan far a public service com mission was the lobby supported by the interests that would have been di- rectv affected by such legislation?
 Is 1t necessary to tell you that the opposition to the insurance an1 other reforms proposed hy Governor Hughes in New York Ia due u the samc kind of powerful pressure upon lceisl3tnrs'
 The people arc beginning to hnye some realization of the vast wealth lost to them by tho perpetual rights granted tn private parties through the vigilance and persistence ot the lobby year after year. and that realization has led to the proper demand that q public utilities commission shall be created that will centrallze responsi- hility in such matters and prevent forever the abuses that have marked our legislative system in the past
 The Lobby and Waterbury.
 Tn my own city of Waterbury the street railway fighte were granted to an alien corporation composed chiefly of Philadelphia capitalists in perpet- uity and without dollar of elmpen sation No doubt tho franchise would have been eagerly accepted for a per- lod of twenty five years, and with a provision giving the municipality a share nf the gross receipts after toe company had had time to get in on a paving basis,
 Ru' the people were not vlsilant in those days, and the agents nf the com rany were Ion the toh' at Hartford, and this source of vast Income was | lost to the municipality forever. To- day owing to other legislation suhse- duently secured, the railway is gross ly overcapiialzeh, and out of the pockets of fhe people must come the money to provide a fair return on tho watered capital
 The property could be duplicated today for less than a million dollars If the franchise had been granted for quarter nf a century only, it would this year revert to the muuici- pality If would sell for probably more than three and a half million dollars, the profit paying every dollar of our public debt of $500 ooo, or 1t could he leased for a handsome an- nual revenue, or fl could be operated at a profit on three-eent fares.
 This Ia only one ease in many in our commonwealth. How did lt all come | AhnUf that our rltleS ana towns RlNe away these millions, and the relief
 they would bring from taxation or the improvements they would permit2 The answer is always the same--the lobby
 Now when my distinguished oppo-
 nent makes use of such a plea as
 have quoted at the outset of these re- marks, he has only himself to blame
 that attention Is called to the fact that he is n director in the three larg. est public service corporations thai alone maintain lobbieg at Hartford. The Remedy.
 Tn all candor ] submit to you tho question: Is relief most likely 10 be gained hy following his advice, by eevatlng himself and the party tha' | nominated him to power, or by giving US authority to carry out the plans o | Governor Woodruff to establish a req | public service commission to look aft
 CT the welfare of the public in sucl important matters as l have cited?