The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-28

The honest clriZenSnlp or BrlQg0POrt
 is confronted with a political situa-
 ton, the like of which has not pre-
 scented itself in many years.
 For a long time this newspaper has
 persistently agitated for municipal
 ownership of public utilities, and for
 regulation of public services, for the
 benefit of the consumers pending the
 arrival of full public ownership.
 This agitation has resulted in many
 benefits, such as free water for the
 city, lower rates for gas and fuller
 taxation of the property of monopo-
 lies.
 The public opinion demanding muni-
 cipal ownership grew to such .an ex-
 tent that the time became ripe to be-
 gin the work upon the practical side
 and the policy of acquiring the cleo
 tric light works was formulated.
 The reason for selecting the electric
 light works was that there is a stat
 ute which permits cities to establish municipal plants for electric lighting and power. and a complete mechanism for managing them.
 The same law permits gas works to be acquired. The law does not however cover water works, and, be- cause of the persistent energies of the lobby at Hartford, the city has never been able to get an operable act permitting it to own its own supply of water.
 Back to this public demand for pub lie ownership of public utilities traces to "a large extent the seizure of the Republican party by the interests be- hind the local monopoIies.
 The Republican party had never de- elared against municipal ownership, although as party it had never de- clared for it..
 If. in the next common council, the Republican aldermen should vote for the resolution providing for the taking of the electric light works, this reso- lution would be likely to go through. Going through once, it would be like Ely to go through twice.
 [ It would then be submitted to the people. The people would vote it through, and the result would be cheaper light and power, and com pulsory reduction in the price of gas by reason of competition which does not now exist.
 The private monopolies in Bridge port have always been powerful in politics. At the beginning of the pres- ent local campaign they were more powerful than they had been in years, because they had built up lobby and an organization to aid in the fight against the Public Utilities bill. the Workmen's Compensation bill, di- rect primaries and other measures which were deemed injurious to their excessive profits and grip on legis- lation.
 At any rate the Leadership of the Republican party had fallen into the hands of the Lobby, headed by one of the most notorious of the men who haunt the halls of legislation, pursu- ing the occupation of commerce in legislation.
 To whom the idea first occurred that the Republican party, and run by and in the interest of electric light, trollies, gas, railroad and water is not known.
 What is known is, that Dever H. Warner, who is an officer of the water company, and an officer of the Gas Company. whose father is a al, rector in the railroad monopoly, and also in the trolley monopoly, appear ed openly in the public prints as the active and most important member of the King-Lavery combination, which henceforward became known by it's present title, the Warner King | combination.
 MT. Warmers first appearance was as ''the big man. who would lead the people into the promised land where gas bills would constantly grow larger, where competition between 1 electricity and gas never should ex- st. This was land in which trolley | fares should never be six for a quar- | ter as they are in Waterbury, and in | which water should be consumed un- filtered with all it's colon bacili and | other injurious bacteria undisturbed in | the yellowish white depths of every | glass of it.
 uplift did not make the appeal that | was expected, and the announcement was made that 'The Big Man" would not consent to be a candidate. The new organization would present mere y l''big man" Then more difficult ties arose. No big man, or near big man. could be found who would stand ,or the shackles that had been woven for him. None could be found so lost 10 sense of public opinion as to pro- ,1aim his allegiance to the new servi- ude.
 Again the heralds changed the proc amation of the s'new leadership
 The patient citizenship was inform d, through the same public prints. hat the man is nothing" that "the policies are everything
 Then came the candidacy of Coro- Ter Wilson, following sinister stories if sinister deals before the primar- es.
 The Coroner announced that he was lot ''the big man." that it was -tthe ,olicies'' that are big.
 The policies are mere platitudes with two teeth', which have the approval if De Yer H Warner. They also rave the approval of Messrs. King and avery, although the news has been ,ept out of the advance notices.
 The two teeth are contained in a ,roposition to pay for all permanent by thrusting the city eeply into debt through bond issues, nd in paragraph 10 of the policies 2, which says that the city must not now ngage in municipal ownership
 The citizenship is asked to turn the ity over to such candidate as Cor 'ner Wilson, standing upon such 8