The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-05
House, After Two Hours and a Half of Debate, Rejects
 Carmody Compromise Banks Accused of Changing His Ruling to Meet Special
 Case Before Him Retorts that Chandler Should Have Challenged Original Ruling - Repre- sentative Scott Defends Barnum Bill on Plea that Senate Will Take Nothing Else.
(special from United Press)

WlIn the puDllC utllCleS commission question for two hours and a half this morning without accomplishing anything except the rejection of the so-called Carmody bill, which origi- mated with the subcommittee of the select committee, the House recessed until 2:15 and hopes to come to vote during the afternoon.
 House Chairman Scott of the select committee on public utilities opened the debate on the subject in the House today by reporting the Barnum bill He said that the bill didn't contain everything he would like to see in it and contains some things he would prefer not to be in it. but he had con ceived it to be his duty to favor it in the committee the only bill that could pass the Senate. Referring to the disposition shown yesterday to it would be brutal to try to pass any other bill. The Senate's attitude has been plainly shown by it's refusal to pass a righteous employers liability law and the bill abolishing the s5.oOO limit for death damages which MT. Scott said he had fought for four years ago. He went into the details of the Barnum bill and surprised many by the statement that it was MT. Whiton of New London, one of the signers of the minority report. who first suggest ed a dual commission, because of the difficulty of creating a law which would include railroad corporations without recodifying the existing rail- road laws, 8. step which the House had seemed very adverse to taking when the first public utilities bill was under consideration.
 MT. Scott called attention to the vari- ous good features of the Barnum bill among others it's provisions for public ity. capitalization, locating of poles by 4o14 foc- nf he damages had been adjusted, the in- spection of gas and electric meters and the opportunities to file complaints as to service NOW" said he, 'what queer combination of opposition exists. There are the radicals, those who op- pose any commission at all. and the corporations. who, whatever they may say, do not want a commission, and all are coached from the side lines by the agents of the public service corpora tions. While I do not wish to i'm pugne any mans motives. it is never theleSS true that there are those who oppose the bill from purely political motives. seeking to gain some popular ity thereby"
 He appealed earnestly to the House to be practical, face the situation just as it exists and take this step ahead. Another General Assembly," said he, ''can add to this law if it is enacted, and prove a good law as I believe it
 
 you then to be men, swallow your dis appointment as I have had to do in some ways, and pass this bill. Do not let us subject ourselves to criti- cism by going away from here without passing anything
 At this time Judge Marsden of Mad iSon, sprung the parliamentary sur prise intended to disconcert the friends of the minority bill. Acting on the supposition that Speaker. Banks would not rule it in order to substitute the minority bill for the majority report. Chandler of Rocky Hill and his friends the Barnum bill. Marsden offered the minority bill an amendment to the Barnum bill moving to strike out all after the enacting clause and substi- tute the Chandler-WhitOn bill. This was ruled to be in order and by means of it the supporters of the minority bill were forced to defend their own measure rather than attack the Bar the minority bill. Chandler spoke first describing the situation in which | the House found itself and explaining g | the good faith of the supporters of the Barnum bill in allowing a House | measure to be reported to the Senate, passed there and then held over the head of the House as a club.
 Human nature is so constituted,' | said ne, "as to greatly resent having
 a club held to it's head. They say that | it is the Barnum bill, or nothing. If | that is so I say let the answer be | Eothing-but I do not believe that will | be the answer. I feel certain that a
 bill will be passed and one with some | thing in it.''
 He then went into details of the
 minority bill and showed how it diff | fered from the bill reported by the | 1907 commission. That bill covered 131 | pa ges and this one covered but 20 1 He noted the differences between the
 minority bill and the Barnum bill as | to the increased number of commits l sioners, the inclusion of all public | utilities corporations in their super | vision, the inclusion of construction companies, the opportunity for min | ority reports to the government, the | opportunity for employees to report de- | ficiency in equipment. the improved | definition of bonds. and provisions re- garding capitalization. the provisions | for struggling corporations and so on. | He referred with some heat to the i joker in the Barnum bill as to capi- l tsliZation, declaring that Gebenchure
 and convertible bonds were not in- l cluded in that bill. He also attacked l the publicity clause which had been | spoken of by Chairman Scott. "They cannot enforce publicity under that | bill.'' he said. Their commission can | only force corporation to make re- | turns. If the returns are not satis- (Continued on Second Page.)