Putnam patriot., 1910-09-02
Injury to Road Is Public H urt

In reply to q request from the officers of the Connecticut Editorial Assoeia- ton, asking his vie ws on the entire subject of a public utilities comm is= sion, President Charles x. Mellen, of the New York, New Haven and Hart ford Railroad company, has discussed the matter In letter made public on August 26.
 After careful definition Of just what hts road Is, who owns IL and its organ ization, Mir. Mellen makes the point that any political activity which ma terialiy decreases the earnings of the states chief railroad company will in- Jure The public even more seriously l than the investors in the company x | securities. He then turns to Il discus sion of the Interstate Commerce com
 this commission confines it's activity
 te the correction of abuses, in so far will It's influence be good. In SO far as
 1t extends it's activities beyond that
 sphere, Il will, In my Judgment, create mischief far outweighing any good it
 may seek to accomplish. He closes by
 asking for specific statement of abus-
 es needing correction, that remedies to
 cure evils done or threatened may be l intelligently discussed. The core l spondence Is a, lolluNs;
 | pegr Sir,
 | 1t Is hafoiy necessary to call your | attention to the obvious general Inter | est which exists al the present time in l Connecticut regarding a pubnc utllr | ties commission Me believe ts t d | fuller, freeF and franker disea5~ soA ef
 this subject than has so far been had is desirable Ne realize that every public service corporation which such | a commission night regulate Is q creature ol the state, We appreciate,
 nevertheless. that these corporations l are ol great good to the state and
 have played large and important
 part in her industrial and financial de l Neiopmcnt Me believe that nothing I ahould he done to hamper their use, 1 fulness, but t also appears to ns req sonahle that the public itself should insist that its rights he carefully safe. guarded and that a commission exist whose prime object be the con serving of the public welfare. It has occurred to us as is officers that the Connecticut Editorial Asso- citation. representing in It's member ship very large proportion of the in al l.Al .k5f. of the state can do mutual service in better presenting both sides ef this question. To that end may Ne ask you as president of the largest public ser vice corporation In Connecticut, to give its yoar views en the entire subject. ins ciuding what sort of a public service commission. if any, you would favor. the manner ol it's appointment and the scope of its powers.
 Me write you without direct author ity of the association which We repre- sent, but without fear of its disapproy. al. Should you see it to address a communication to us on the subject We will place this letter and your re- ply thereto in the hands of every member of our association. and have no doubt that substantially all of them will find the matter so interesting as to give il early publication.
 Yours respectfully.
 Everett C. Hill. President.
 Arthur s. Barnes. Secretary.
 The Connecticut Editorial Asso- eiation.
 THE REPLY
 In the country al large. legislation upon this subject seems to be in iuenced to considerable extent by prejudice against corporations Hut corporation h in general only . n- naneial arrangement adapted to per mi, many indivsduais.--men. women and chiidren-to use their separate saviugs h sarKe business andertak- ings under . management which they