Norwich bulletin., 1909-07-14
THE IMPENDING STRUGGLE.


 This week is to see the crisis of the battle which since February has been waged between the electric lighting in- terests of the state and the large num- Der of independent producers of cleo tricity. The judiciary committee, which has had the various bills dealing with the matter kefore it, is to make final report and the senate will be the scene of the real battle. A vigorous campaign has been made for the en- tire repeal of the law which prohibits the manufacture of electricity for sale. Forceful arguments have been put for ward in favor of a general repeal. It will be put up to the legislature to make the final decision this week.
 Until May, very few, except electric light company officers knew that there was bill which prevented the private citizen from making electricity and selling it to his next-door neighbor. Through dispute between the Bridge port company, which also controls the New Haven field, and one of it's for mer customers, the matter came be- fore the legislature and then became known all over the state. The Bridge port company tried by amending the law, known as section 3,916, to still further tie down it's privileges and to prevent any company from doing any thing which it was not specially in- cotporated to do.
 This move raised such a howl that two of the proposed bills were with drawn. The third, which provided for an injunction against the maker who tried to sell electricity. would also have been withdrawn if the people who had been attacked by the Bridge port company agreed. But they re- fused and instead made fight for the repeal of the law. In this fight they were backed by the state business mems association which includes members in practically every town and city. There were lively hearings be- fore the judiciary committee, and it has been expected for several weeks that a report would go in disposing of the question.
 It has been officially announced that there would be only one report; that report in favor of the repeal of the law. But there has been a hitch. Now the committee is understood to be minded to send in report amending the law in such way that a sop will be given to the powerful electric in- terests. They will be slightly punish ed; not given the sound spanking that many persons think is their due. The present law is to be amended, but no person will have the right to make electricity and sell it to any other per- son or firm outside the block in which his plant is located, even though he is ready to sell it to that neighbor for less than the chartered company will. In other words, the law is to be left in such shape that a man cannot buy in the best market, but must buy from a company designated by the state.
 The state business men's association through it's committee declares that such an act is not fair. It claims that the present law should be repealed It points out that no other state in the union has such an unfair law upon it's books. It declares that the only justi- fcation advanced by the electric com panies for the present law is that 1t protects them; that to repeal 1t would interfere with their business. Business. of course, in this case, means simply profits.
 Another point made is that the law applies only to towns of over 15,000 people. It is legal to do in small town what is unlawful in a large one. And the business men ask pertinently: Has the good old state of Connecticut one law for a part of it's people and another law for the rest?'
 But the matter comes up before the senate this week. The senate will have a chance to disprove the popular belief that it is corporation n-con- trolled body. It can disprove that belief by voting squarely for repeal of the present law.
 If the report went to the house, there IS confident prediction that re- peal would be voted. But in the sen ate! Well, all eyes are on the senate.