Connecticut western news., 1910-09-29
MeNen FavOrs Tribunal
[Cor tinued fro n plge 1

l many individual members in any Ameri can legislature who are more or less prejudiced against railroad corporations that it is often extremely difficult for such corporation to get fair hearing before it.
 "Here in Connecticut great disturb ance is sometimes made because of what seems to us an entirely reasonable re. quest for legislation for the benefit of our business, which is conceded to be the largest business in this State. In spite of all argument upon our part, such requests by us are more often re- fused than not, and have sometimes been refused when precisely similar re- quests made by others have been actually granted for their benefit at the same session.
 "Yet in spite of the various facts or supposed facts on which all sorts of people base all sorts of more or less con- fiicting complaints against the Connecti- cut legislature, we must, think, all admit that if we look back over a sufficient term of years, nothing has happened in Connecticut that ought to shake our faith in the principles of representative government or in the wisdom of our own Constitution. If we now examine in retrospect the doings of the General Assembly at any sessi, n sufficiently long past to admit of calm. historical judgment, we do not find that the State has suffered any serious harm either through any laws that were then passed or because of the failure to pass any of the hundreds of bills which were then introduced.
 "If any fair-minded, thinking man has an impression that this Railroad Company has unreasonably influenced in it's own favor the legislation of this State. respectfully ask him to examine all the existing statutes of Connecticut, whether public or private, which es- pecially affect this Company or it's busi- ness, and then candidly to decide for himself whether we have obtained any legislation from which the State has ex. perienoed any injury. earnestly assert that we have never wilfully promoted any legislation which the directors or officers of the Railroad Company have thought to be in any respect injurious to the public. Nor have we any tempta- tion to seek such legislation in the future for it is our absolute conviction that the interests of the territory which the railroad serves, that any Legislation which is against the public interest must necessarily be against our true interest.
 Political Commissions.
 "If my memory serves me correctly, have heard in the past as much, if not more, just and unjust criticism of Connecticut commissions as of the Con- ! necticut legislature. Just now there seems to be a popular tendency to assume that Q proposed new commission with great powers is to be an ideal com mission, with regard to which former , experience affords us no basis of Judg- ment. I am unable to see why it would not be quite as possible to have ideal legislatures composed of the strongest and most patriotic men in the State, as to have ideal commissioners. "In the first place, no political position, with its inevitable insecurity of tenure and its necessarily more or less moderate salary will have sufficient attraction for the best business and professional men of the State.
 "In the second place, the more attrac- tive political position is made, the more it is sought after by men of politi. cal influence, for themselves or for their , friends and supporters.
 "If may be pardoned concrete illustration, I should like to ask whether the late O. R. Fyler (whose memory respect. but about whom ia his lifetime there was so many varying judgments) would have been any less likely to desire similar but better position than that of Railroad Commissioner, and whether if he did desire it, he would have been any less likely to obtain it.
 If vnu change the method of anpoint- ment to such an ofnce, you do not alter the substantial fact that in politics iy is generally political influence which con rrols. It is c"mnonly easier for poll. t!cians to influence the action of a pop&lar nominating convention or of a legislative caucus than it is to influence t e action of a governor after he is elected.
 Until human nature chnnges, human institutions will work in the future as they have worked in the past. Every thinking man must expect that the same conditions will hereafter affect the appointment of public service commits sioners as have heretofore controlled the election of Railroad Commissioners, In- surance Commissioners. Bauk Commls- sioners, Tax Commissioners. and other