The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-11-04
Feasted and Prayed Before Voting But Al.
 ways Obeyed Railroad
Interesting Disclosures Made Last Night at Meeting of Bridge port Business Mems Association Judson Plays legSa- tive Methods and Tells Need of Sending Better Men to Hartford--ko Man Gan Honestly Oppose Good Public Utilities Bill, He Declares

There cannot be an honest differ ence of opinion upon the question of whether we need public utilities l bill in Connecticut. We must grapple with the problem and secure control | of the public service corporations or give to the railroad a bill of sale of the commonwealth said States At torney Stiles Judson last night before the Bridgeport Business Mems as sociation at the etratfeld, in a speech
 ill which he spoke in no mfncing man | ner of the hot house methods of the
 railroad in fostering the candidacy of
 state senators. He told some truths, about the state senate which has been | in control, for the past sixteen years, | of the party that is now trying to l fOiSt J. P. Morgan'S Cousin Charlie | upon the commonwealth as it's chief
 executive. Mir. Judson is the Repub- 1 iican nominee for senator in the 25th | district, and also has the Democratic ] elidorsen1 ent- He said that he was not worrying about his election. He said: T have no fears that the house ! (of the General Assembly, will pass 1 the public utilities bill but it is the
 senate I am interested in. In the ! senate there are 35 members who l have in the past been dominated by
 railroad influences. The railroad doesn't control all the senators but it | has been able to get sufficient num- Der to curb legislation it doesn't want
 and to get legislation it does want. | They say they do not seek to control legislation but they do assist candi- dates in the field of politics. They contribute money to assist senators in 1 getting nominations and in being 1 elected. Thus assisted into office
 these senators cast their votes as the railroad would have them vote. i Bridgeport has sent senators who
 voted boldly in support of railroad measures. It has sent others who
 went through much fasting and pray CT before voting, but who always saw
 the light from the railroad point of ] view
 | Senator Judson spoke after several
 other candidates from all parties had i Iagreed to vote for as good a public tutilities bill as the one proposed by 1.-the State Business Mems association, could stand with one foot upon the 1 Republican platform and put all his weight upon the other foot as rested
 upon the platform of the Democratic party was really the big chief. Besides that portion of his speech Egiven above he said in part:
 | '1 think that an erroneous idea has
 got about that the business men are
 trying to force through a specific
 measure-a bill that is drawn espec- l
 not so. As I understand the matter
 the association is endeavoring to se- cure the adoption of a public utiliti es
 bill that is more fundamental in its
 principles than any that has ever been proposed before,-a bill that all
 can safely get back of and support.
 because it is for the benefit of all
 the people.
 1 ''The bill of the Business Mems as
 sociation is concrete bill It might ! n nna nI-x- IL f1rr changes but fundamentally it is a | bill that everyone can stand on, and
 one that will aid the commonwealth | in coming to it's own. The associa-
 tion IS to be congratulated on the | bill. I feel in an apologetic mood
 tonight for saying four years ago that | the business men did not know how | to reach out and make themselves | felt in the community in which they i live. You will bear me out that up 1 to four years ago the business men | of the state did not know how to | influence the legislative part of the l state government in securing legisla-
 tion that would benefit themselves
 and the community at large. Up to | that time it had given its perogatives 1 to the party boss and the professional
 politician. By these I mean those
 who are in politics for selfish and
 personal gain. I am glad that the business men are taking unto them 1
 | Such laws as we are seeking here | to control the public service corpora
 tiOnS have been in force in the com
 monwealth of Massachusetts for sev-
 eral years and have done more for | the development of the state than be- | fore-far more than has been done 1 for the development of Connecticut | in the same time.
 '.In New York Governor Hughes in
 securing the passage of a similar | 11~, l
 same forces that we had to face here 1 in Connecticut two years ago. He
 was obliged to hold monster mass
 meetings and get the support of the | people.
 Since the passage of the New
 New York Central railroad has said | in an open statement that Public Utilities legislation had been most | beneficial to that state.
 Ut would be a great mishap to at tempt to compromise the fundamen- tai principles of the bill as drafted | This movement should not be a con
 test to alone control the operation of | the railroads and other corporations 1 as nas been suggested, but it should also be a contest to regulate rates | and control the issue of stocks ana | bonds.
 There is no doubt about the pass l age of the bill in the house. All can | are COIllllS lO the apprec1a- | ton of what the public is demanding | I am troubled only about the senate. l I hope Bridgeport will send good men | to represent it. It is said that the railroad will not make a. contest. As | to that I have my doubts. It is not l hard to conceive that when the time, l arrives that there will not be a move ment to Swerve some of the opinions that have been engendered by this l movement for proper bill We don't want the Judgment which has been arrived at through this cam paign of education in this and our sister states to be swerved in another direction. I can't conceive any good reason for either Republicans or Democrats swerving from the funda- mental principles of, this bill.
 'tAs for the manner in which the members of a public utilities commis- sion shall be selected I believe the power of appointment should be vested in the governor. It is regret full that the railroad commission has been regarded as a place for the re- ward of the faithful. But there is no danger from this in the appoint ments to the proposed Utilities con-