The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-07-19
WILTON TO FIGHT
 BARNUM'S DRAFT
Minority Member of Special Utilities Commission in
 to a Finish.
HE CALLS IT OUTRAGEOUS

New Haven. July 19.-Judging from | the talk last night among New Haven politicians who are well informed re- garding things political at Hartford, | it is very doubtful if the public utili- ties bill is finally acted upon at Hart
 ford this week, and it looks more than ever as though the split between the | majority and the minority members of
 the commission would continue to wid- en rather than to heal.
 The so-called Barnum bill, namely, | the measure drawn by the majority,
 makes it possible for the present rail-
 road commission to remain, with a | second commission controlling the telephone, water and lighting com panies. This, it was argued, would
 provide a happy way out of the di- lemma, which is now vexing the iprac- tical Republican managers at Hart ford.
 But it now appears that no com
 promise of this sort will suit the mil nority of the committed, notably Lu- c1uS E. Whiton, a manufacturer, who represents New London in the 1egis- lature, and Representative George B. Chandler of Rocky Hill in Hartford county. Both of these gentlemen have attracted much favorable attention to themselves at the present session of the legislature by their stand for a public utilities bill that shall mean something.
 MT. Whiton was seen by a represen- tative of the Journal-COurier last night upon the subject. He was ask ed if he thought it was likely that the compromise bill would be accepted to- morrow and also as to whether a mi nority report would be submitted at that time or not
 He said that he did not think the day, by any means. And he did not admit that there would be a minority report, although it is quite confidently believed that there is already such a hand, MT. Whiton said that there might be further attempts on the part of the joint commission to agree and that these attempts may last over a period of some days. He also appear ed to intimate that both he and MT. Chandler would probably hang to- gether in a. minority in passing upon the whole measure and that there was a possibility that a. minority report might result.
 'T have not changed my views in the slightest said he. ''The draft of the Barnum bill as proposed is out the authority and the corporations subject to it, but as the proposed bill is now drawn the corporation is the authority and the commission subject to that.
 "I will never approve of a bill that makes an exception of a corporation as this bill makes an exception in the case of the railroads.
 Besides, this bill does not touch the rate question at all. It is no sort of a public utilities bill. I am not in sym pathy with it, and unless there is some thing of a change in it I shall stand out against it.''
 From this, and knowing the deter imitation of Representative Whiton when he once takes a. stand that he believes is for the welfare of the State, it looks very much as though the split over the matter might become perma- nent, that a number of more confer ences will have to be held, and that there is really no telling just what shape the bill will finally be presented in