The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-15
ELECTRIC MONOPOLY
 WILLING TO SELL TO
 CITY UNDER STATUTE
Bridgeport Public Services Plead With Com. mittee on City and Boroughs Not to Empower Bridgeport to Buy
 Utilities,

l selfish interests
 1 AS showing the wide public senti.
 ment MT. Wilson said that the Demo- l cratic party of Bridgeport has lons 1 advocated public ownership of public | utilities and that the larger portion | or the Republican party is of the same mind.
 Attorney Marsh said that the spec | 1al act of 1907 was workable and thai action ought to be had under 1t if a, all. He said that the municipal own ersh1p movement was all politics and
 described MT. Wilson as an agitator, l whose voice continually "shatters the circumambient air" He said also that the wishes of Fairfield and Strat- ford should be consulted and declared
 that the fact that the bill had not been submitted to the common coup- cil indicated that there is no senti- ment for public ownership of water in Bridgeport. He concluded by re- hearsing the cordial relations that he said existed between Bridgeport and the water company and instanced the abrogation of the portion of the so- the city annually $15,O0O of water free, a. sum increasing yearly.
 Judge Beers said that the general law was sufficient to enable cities to acquire gas and electric light conn would not object to being acquired under the statute. He said that the bill before the committee made no provision for the needs of the people Of suburban towns and that it was the desire of the promoters of the bill to take the cream of the business and leave the rest to the private con cern. He concluded by remarking that the attitude of certain agitators reminded him of the fact that 8 hornet could break up a camp meet ing.
 Mir. Wilson, replying said: 'I SUD- pose I am the hornet to which Judge Beers refers. If the story had ended that because of hornet touched them in just the right place, the consciencas of those camp meeting fellows were stirred so that they. gave more lib- erally to the Lord than ever before, and became more just and merciful, the analogy would be correct. For, gentlemen of the committee, as MT. Bartlett will tell you, the consciences of these corporations have been nightly stirred in Bridgeport. MT. Marsh has just told you of the little contribution of $15,O00 year the water company has made. payment that will equal a million dollars with in my expectancy of life. He didn't tell you that I was the first man un- just and generous monopoly the ad- visibility, the justice, the necessity and the inevitability of this donation. He didn't tell you that suggested 1t for four long years before the great white light of understanding overlook them, to the great financial benefit of our fair city. In fact my friends these little agitations of which these gentlemen so tearfully complain have been about the most profitable affairs spiritually morally and politically that Bridgeport has ever had. And next year as the result of this agita- ton I have no doubt that these gem tiemen will be before this committee again telling of further generosities and donations and increased tax pay ments and that the enlargement of our city's conscience fund will there by be considerable"
 Senators McNeil and Paddock, in favoring the bill, thought that the referendum clause should be abso- lute instead of optional. This view was acceded to. Questioned by member of the committee Senator McNeil said that the people of Bridge port are able to judge for themselves what they want and do not want, even as to whether bonds shall be issued.