The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-09-26

dreamer.
 It is an old saying that the best pos sible government would be des- potisnn, if we could only be sure of who are in a hurry to see accom- plished some social reform, are apt to call for the creation of despottc authority for the purpose, and to pot when created will prove to be the ideal despot. But all human experf- reasonably expect to get the despot of our dreams, and that arbitrary political authority cannot safely be granted to any man or to any com mission. Until human nature changes, the great constitutional principles for which our fathers struggled will re- main the necessary butwarks of civil liberty. The faithful separation of the legislative, executive and judicial departments of the government will, believe, need hereafter as hitherto, to be demanded by sober minded and thoughtful citizens.
 Increased Mileage Charge.
 You ask me specifically why the printed mileage of the railroad was ago. The answer is that this was a blunder which was inm ediately cor rected. The orders which resulted in this misunderstanding on the part of those having charge of printing tim e. tables related to an increased charge of four cents on mileage books Tn connection with 8 general increased charge of five cents in interstate com merce to and from New York City, necessitated by many causes, but especially by the great increase in the amounts paid by this Company ta the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company for the right to send our passengers for their conven- fence in and out of Grand Central Station!
 Capitalization.
 The most important of the specific questions which you put to me is, in substance, whether the capitalization importance to the, public. My answer is, Yes, but not in the way many people seem to suppose The mere amount of a companys capital bears no relation to the actual possible gross net earnings of thes company, or to the rates charged or the service afforded.
 No street railway manager earns from his business more or less be- cause of differences in the amount of his company's capital. If he is worth his salt, he always earns (whatever be the amount of his company's cap ital stocke all that he can; but the the public the best possible service at rates sufficiently low to create the largest possible volume of remunera- tive business.
 A careful comparison seems to show that under similar conditions public service corporations of Con n6CI1cuC III general SIVe at least as good service at rates as low as do like corporations of Massachusetts, whose capital has been stringently re- stricted. I may say, moreover, from an experience in a good many States that the street railway service of Connecticut with all it's faults is on the whole at least as good with rates at least as low, as in any of such other States.
 But the subject of the regulation of the capitalization of corporations is fnn Ia fn ha 96RnYJ4faI " fro fAd the end of a long letter. I therefore ask leave to discuss this and other questions more fully later.
 The Progressive Movement
 In concluding this letter I wish to repeat my warning that if wrong principles are followed in the regu- 1ation of railroad, lighting, telephone and water business, other industries are likely to be soon injuriously af- fected by the application of similar principles. Under modern economic an effective or even wholesome regulation Of prices or service. Many great industries are or are inevitably coming to be controlled by more or less complete monopoIies. Germany has already begun the policy of regu- | 1ation of industries by fixing price of potash and limiting the output of the chief producers
 Court of Commerce. 1
 Unless I<wrongly read the signs of | the times, the progressive rnovem ent l is sure to spread the world over. Let be ready with a sane, | safe, constitutional method of apply | ing principles of justice to the regu- | lation of all monopolies. I again ask | the thinking men of this State to l carefully the Idea of estab- fishing a Court of Commerce which | shall with the independence, irnpar- tia1ity and ability which we are ac- customed to in our courts of law and with complete simplicity of proceed ure, hear and give Judgment on all involving intricate com mercial considerations, including com plaints against excessive charges or unfair or faulty service by railroad companies and others who serve the general public.
 Yours truly,
 C. S. MELLEN
 President.