Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-04-09

Hartford, April S.-The final hear
ing before the committee on the judi
ciary in regard to the creation OF
public utilities commission was helC
at the capitol today and many of those
who have attended the hearing are o
the opinion that the committee viii
not report the measure favorably anc
that is the opinion of those who are
opposed to the measure, as voiced by
Lewis S. Sperry. who said: Il think
the bill is as dead as a salt, dried, sun
cured Goldfish" The argument for the
opposition was made by Mr.. Sperry
and William Waldo Hyde, who ap-
peared as attorneys for several street
railways which they mentioned Mr.
Hyde opened and said that he believed
a false impression had been given at
the first hearing that public sentiment
demanded the passage of the measure
He deprecated what he termed at
tempts to scare the committee on po-
litical lines and said that it was pref
" cheap talk and that the commit
tee must solve the matter on lines OF
principle.
Not Unaninity Of Feeling.
He called attention to the fact that
the republican party did not put itself
on record as being in favor of the
measure and that there is not the
represented to the committee The
committee is not compelled to report
favorably on the measure because the
commission has presented 1t. He ad-
mitted that IL is the duty of the pub
lie service corporations to furnish SER
vice at reasonable rates and without
discrimination against anyone, but
stated that there have been no COM
plants that such is being done. He
claimed that if passed the bill would
be unconstitutional, and that there is
under the present laws sufficient pow
er to correct any abuses. @The pur-
pose of the measure is to take from
the legislature powers that have been
vested in it by the constitution and
give them to a commission. 1t provides
that the present laws shall be exer-
cised only when the commission sees
MI to DO so. and the public will not
delermine what shall be done, but the
gLkss, or whim. of three individuals
WHO would be law unto themselves"
said Mr. Hyde.
If Laws Are Imperfect Legislation
Should Change Them.
He further stated in alluding to
Stiles Judson's speech that at least it
was fun of nerve for man who, as
the records show, voted to make the
bonds of the Connecticut Railway and
Lighting company savings bank in
vestments. He said that il the laws
are imperfect now the legislature
could change them and that he had
been told by bankers within fortyeight
hours that the Connecticut Railway
and Lighting company is worth every
dollar for which it is capitalized. He
cited further cases of alleged over
capitalization. and said that a charter
is worth only as much as the brains
and intelligence of the men who held
1t make it. Under a commission
which would wise the hbonds they
would carry the guaranty of the state
and if the commission made mistake
the purchasers would have no redress.
Corporations Not OVerchS Srsing Pat
rons.
Lewis 5. Sperry was the next speak
er who read a letter from II. G. War
rem Of New Haven in opposition to the
measure. Mr.. Sperry also affirmed
that the corporations in Connecticut
Are not overcharging their patrons
He also read a letter from George
D. Burgess of New Haven, in opposi-
ton to the measure. He pointed out
that stiles Judson's evidence of the
popularity of the measure was that
the governor had threatened the leg
stature with a call for a special ses-
ZION if they did not start the work and