The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-21
.BUTTERWORTH ATTACKS
 LOBBY; SAYS ELECTRIC
 MONOPOLY HIDES EARNINGS
Former New Haven Senator in Communication to Farmer Declares That Opposition to Public Utilities Bill Comes Mainly from Public Service Corporations Through Third f1OuSe.

business he finds that he cannot do so | because the United Illuminating Com pany has secured legislation which pre- | vents him.
 1 I am not particularly attacking the | United Illuminating Company. though ! it well deserves attack; I am merely | citing it as possibly the most conSpic- | uouS instance, of which there are a
 great many others in the State, of public service corporations which re- tain their monopoly privilege, not by progressive methods and reasonable | rates, but rather by keeping in their pay attorneys and lobbyists at Hart | ford to see that they are undisturbed. l As a. result, a number of our public service corporations have failed to give to the citizens the advantages Of the advances in the art, or of improv- ed methods of operation.
 It is not right and it is unworthy to the State that these conditions should continue, and the time has come to change them.
 For instance, the New York, New Haven & Hartford road owns electric lighting plants and trolley roads: it is planning to extend the identification of it's steam lines which will mean, in conjunction with its trolley lines. not only an electric transmission system radiating all over the State, but large power plants generating electricity much cheaper than most public service corporations now generate electricity. If the New Haven road had a. perma-
 
 State to deal with. it could. and in my judgment would, develop a surplus of electric energy to dispose of, either to present public service corporations or to others which would be established in territories now without them. This would result in cheaper electricity for power and lighting; a. vast extension of its use where used at present; and it's availability in the smaller com munities which are now without it: and also in the nourishment of our manufacturing industries and in forti- flying them against the time which will will have to compete with electrically driven factories in other portions of the country. This would be a two fold advantage to the New Haven road would not only cheapen its cost of ope- ration, but would nourish the indus tries upon which it depends largely for it's livelihood.
 Without a public service commission this could not be brought about be cause there would be no one with whom the New Haven road could deal for the purpose of entertinS into a long time policy. Moreover, without a public service commission, there is no way of compelling the adoption of modern methods or the sale of cleo tricity at reasonable rates. For in- stance, if the New Haven road built a power plant on the water at New Ha- ven, developing 10000 to 30,000 h. D. and it was able to sell energy to the United Illuminating Company much cheaper than their company's plant can now produce it, how could this be brought about without some compell- ing legislation? Certainly if we can judge by the past methods of the Uni ted Illuminating Company such a pol icy would not appeal to it.
 But with a public service commission it could be compelled to either pur- chase electricity from the New Haven road or erect @ modern plant of its own and give to the citizens the bene- fit thereof: and that policy could be all over the State wherever opportunity offered.
 Why is it that all our public service conceal their earnings expenses and rates in such direct con- trast to that of public service corpo- rations elsewhere? Why do they maintain the third house in Hartford? Why do they SuSpiciously scan each face at the annual meeting of a com pany to be sure that each one is a stockholder and has a stockholders interest to outweigh his feeling as a citizen?
 Let us bring it about that they should publish their earnings and their rates; that they should give good and modern service at reasonable prices, and stop the activities of the third house, which is matter of shame to the State.
 FRANK RIuTvTERWORTIJ