The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-27
COURT OF COMMERCE WOULD CONFLICT WITH.
 THE CONSTITUTION
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I lHG SId SS0IIlS lO Oc IdSI dppIOCl- | ing when the man upon the streets,
 the mechanic at his bench, and the merchant in his store, are regarding | these questions of State policy as | their concern.
 1 The time is passing in this State
 when the peoples will can be throt- | tied by professional politicians whose | aims in life are plunder and pelf. believe in honest party organlza- | tion that has, for it's object the more
 ciples of political government 10 which that party subscribes.
 | When positions of power and in- l fuence are achieved by individuals
 whereby to use party machinery and personal influence for selfish and cor rupt ends. 1t becomes the duty of the plain citizen in the ranks, to rebuke such arrogance at the polls. That is what the citizens of this old commonwealth are preparing to do. | The newly awakened spirit of indf- vidual responsibility is producing in | ever increasing numbers an indepen- dent electorate, who hold the balance l of power between the extremes of blind partisanship in both parties. | It is not in the plaudits of self serving politicians that laurels of real worth, and that endure, are earned, | but by the esteem and confidence of l that quiet thinking element in these l communities, who have at heart the | true interests of the State. l This element, true enough and cou- rageous enough to rebuke the parties, | even, of their choice, when such dis | cipline seems necessary, Is no longer willing to act the part of the dray horses in politics, to draw the band wagon as directed by the reins and whip of self lf-constituted drivers, but | intend. I believe in all future issues | in this State, to act out the course that their own conscience may dictate. This political course upon which the Connecticut electorate has enter ed, is the true fruition of the hopes of the founders of this Republic. in planting form of government the corner stone of which was the exclu- sion of special privileges and an l equality between men.
 Elections can no, longer be won oy either party based upon past recor is of achievements, however notable l they may have been, nor from sent1-
 mental considerations.
 | The time is now behind us, and I 1 trust forever, when the slogan our l party right-our party Wrong-our party, right, or wrong-wiI arouse response in an audience of Connecti- cut freemen.
 l The party organization to succeed l to-day-that will attract to it's stand I ards the progressive young men who are being admitted to the respOnsi- | bilities of citizenship appeal ] to their reason and their honest con- victions.
 A discriminating public judgment 1 is beginning to demand that only
 men shall be elected to public office
 whose records or associations are l such as to form a reasonable guaran- | tee of their capacity and purpose to act as servants of the people, and
 not as the agents of special and pow erful interests.
 This newly awakened interest in
 this State in the political movements, and in legislative affairs, and which can in part at least be ascribed to I these business associations, is most encouraging. It points to the pres- ervation of those principles of govern | ment for which our forebears strug- gled with prophetic vision: condi- tion, indeed, that would gladden. the thearts of the constitution builders tcould they be permitted to look down which an awakened public conscience | has created-and applicable to the nation at large-a nation militant but self-contained, going onward in the blessings of material prosperity-bet- ter still, going onward in the sun shine of the higher ideals of political conduct.
 What has aroused in our own State those whom Lincoln loved to term the common people from the apathy
 
 to an active interest in public con cerns?
 I have already ascribed a full meas
 ure of credit to the business interests
 that have happily turned from an ex- elusive pursuit of money making to a contemplation of public affairs. But the cause is much more fun damental. The higher education that at times has seemed such a grievous | burden upon the small. rural com | .1Dfv rJx <&f% II, credit.
 That such change is being
 wrought in subtle ways for our civic betterment and under the modern
 trend of both political parties, is
 made apparent as we note the stern
 and ever growing demand from the
 ranks that political corruption in high
 places shall cease; that grafters shall
 be spewed out to feel the obloquy of their fellow men; that special inter
 ests that have been fattening at the crib of governmental privilege shall be broken; that malefactors who by
 unlawful and powerful combinations have struck at the vitals of the vast army of consumers, and have press ed the yoke more and more heavily upon the neck of our industrial life,
 are being brought to justice; surely we can find no room for pessimism here.
 The business interests of this State lHGlI dLlltLuuG QpOll tII0 pTOpOSGO legislation, regulating public service corporations, and thus revolutionizing our former policy of inaction and in difference, are both reasonable and in- sistent.
 They are pressing on in their de- l mand for the creation of a public l utilities commission, in no sense as corporation baiters, nor as lacking In sober appreciation of the creditable part that these public agencies have taken in the growth and development
 Of our State.
 We recognize the legal necessity of granting to these quasi-public corpo-
 rations. large powers, nor do we be- lieye in unduly interfering with the
 management of such corporations m ! the conduct of their business. It is only demanded by the people of the State that the public service corporation shall honestly comply with the implied conditions of the
 franchises from the State under which they exercise their extraordin- ary powers. As implied conditions to these grants from the people of the State, these corporations practice l in the eye of the law, to furnish ade- Quate service, at reasonable rates, and to use all suitable means for the safety of their employees and the pub | lie.
 They should be accorded a fair and | just return upon the capital honestly | invested. To invade that right would be equivalent to confiscation | but every dollar in excess of an hon est capitalization, upon which the