The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-02-04
VICTORY FOR PUBLIC
 UTILITIES BILL WON
THUS DECLARES THE ELOQUENT CHANDLER, OF ROCKY HILL. IN SPEECH DESCRIBING POW- FRS THAT SHOULD BE GRANT
 ED TO UTILITIES COMMISSION.

ED TO UTILITIES COMMISSION.
 The honorable George H. Chandler spoke as follows upon Powers that should be granted in a Public Utilt- ties bill.
 The subject assigned is most ap- propriate and timely. It is the psychological moment to discuss it.
 necticut is no longer Shall we have a Utilities Comm .ssion ?''' but what kind of commission snail we have ?''
 The period of disclamation, of agi- tation, of education on the general subject is past. The victory is won and handsomely won. The represen- tatives of labor who claimed before the judiciary committee last winter that wage earners are against it have been compelled to appear before their followers and explain. The master of the State grange was placed in the same position and a resolution en- dorsing the bill in emphatic terms was voted through by a ratio of 20 to 1, with the master himself and some of his colleagues speaking against 1t. The State Business Mems association has unanimously endorsed it and appropriated $1,00O for the use of the legislative committee in carrying on a campaign of education.
 I predict that future efforts of the enemies of the measure will be di- rected toward it's emasculation rather than it's defeat We shall find all candidates for public office declaring for a b.ll, but they will be chary in specifying the kind of bill they are for. A bad bill is worse than none. It is entirely possible to write into such measure added and dangerous powers not now possessed by the pub- lie service corporations.
 Vital pQinfS
 There are certain vital and essen tia1 points-what might be termed the minimum requirements-tha I will outline.
 First as to organization. The com- mission should be elected precisely as our judges of the superior court are chosen.--by the general assembly on nomination of the governor. They should be paid the same salaries as the judges of that court,-$7500 a year. There should be a provision forbidding political activity. To my mind five would be the right number. They should have power and funds to employ counsel, experts, and clerks.
 Second as to scope of jurisdiction. They should have supervision of rail- roads, trolley companies, water com panies, gas companies, electrical com panies, telephone companies, tele- graph companies, express companies, public utility holding companies, and public utility construction companies.
 Third as to reports and auditing. They should have power to compel reports on prescribed forms, and go into the books of the companies and summon witnesses under oath to ver1- fly them. In other words reasonable publicity, and, in case of suspicion of wrong doing, investigation.
 FO1trfh fO service and rafa~ They should have power to investi gate, on complaint and at public hearing, the rates charged and ser- vice rendered and either order or recommend Gone is effective as the other in pract.ce) what is a fair rate rates go together and the commission should possess the same powers with regard to each. With regard to gas and electric companies this should cover quality ana pressure of gas, strength of current, voltage, etc. Also inspection of meters.
 Fifth as to public safety. The commission should have power to or der (not recommend) charges in ap- pliances, number of employees, or oth- CT features when caiied for to con- serve safety of the public or the em- ployes.
 Sixth as to financial operations.
 
 eral law the commission should have of issues of stock and bonds. No such issues should be per- mitted without application to the commission and a hearing, but they should be forbidden by law to au- thorize bond issues for more than the equivalent of the entire full paid capital stock; or as an alternative in case of appreciated value, not more than 75 per cent. of the actual value of the physical property to be deter mined by the commission, or it's ex- perts.
 No stock or bonds should be issued | for other than cash or property, the 1 value of said property to be deter mired by the commission.
 No stock should be issued at less than par, except for the rehabilitation of run down properties with good | prospects,, in which case the com mission authorize it under certain 1 definite restrictions. Stock or script | Svid c,I, !,