The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-05-28

Hartford, May 2S.-At a meeting of
 the directors of the State Business
 Mems association, yesterday afternoon
 the public utilities bill was actively
 discussed by an attendance of 40,
 which included directors and members
 of the legislative committee
 The meeting was in charge Of Nor
 maud F. Allen, chairman of the state
 legislative committee. and the pro- !; posed bill, in printed form, was dis . cussed section by section, as prepar-
 ed and printed by the committee.
 When the directors finished their work at o'clock they had in concrete form a public utilities bill which rep- i resents a large amount of conSldera- ! ton and investigation, and which i will be presented to the state legis- lature at it's next session.
 It will be recalled that at meeting l of the said directors several weeks ago a public utilities bill offered by the ] Bridgeport Business Mems association. ! and known as the Bridgeport bill. .'' was considered in conjunction with | bill offered by the state legislative | committed These two bills were given very careful scrutiny and were found ] to be much alike in purpose.
 The legislative committee was au- | thorized to prepare a new bill, which
 
 ness Mems Association Bill" The re- 1. suit of their labors was shown in the [ bill which Is now presented.
 Representative George B. Chandler, | one of the authors of the Chandler Whiton bill,'' stated at the meeting teyery way that had been presented. The new bill is intended to be perfect Fly fair to public service corporations, and at the same time to serve the in- terest of the public and provide for good service and equitable rates.
 Commission of Five.
 } The bill provides for a commission of five adequately paid men, to be ap- pointed by the governor, for terms of five years, subject to removal by the ! superior court for cause upon written ! complaint filed by the attorney-gen- eral The bill provides that active participation In political management ! or campaigns, as well as misconduct { material neglect of duty, or incom- ] rnoval. and requires the attorney-gen- [ eral to file a complaint when so di- Erected by the governor or when so requested in writing by 100 electors E of the state. It requires all orders of E the commission to be in writing, and to state the reasons therefor. |, The bill provides for the organ1za- [ ton of public service corporations un- der general law The special powers which are necessarily required by these corporations are to be granted in the future by this permanent. small, expert commission instead of by spe- cial charter granted by the general assembly, as heretofore. The State Business Mems association believes that some provision of this kind would $ go far toward removing the present evils connected with the lobby at the Legislature.
 Gives Board Powers.
 The bill gives broad powers to the tcommission to investigate all com plaints as to matters of public safety For safety of employees. and requires ran public service companies to report accidents attended with personal in jury or involving public safety, and connected with the operation of their Eplants or equipment: and requires the commission to investigate these acci- dents to ascertain their causes and to tEugrest means. if possible. whereby