The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-03

/ people of the whole state. They are
| the product of the labors of an able
| commission, composed of the then at
/ torney-genera1 of the state (snce ele-
waited to the superior COURT, an ex-
attorney-general of the State, the
| comptroller of the state, and two pri-
vate citizens Of recognized probity, ex-
| perience and ability; they are the pro-
! duct further, of the Independent in
vestigation of the State 7 Business
| Mems Association, representing, thir-
| ty-four affil ated local associations
| from all parts of the state, and of
| the collective judgment of those MEM
| bers of the 1909 general assembly who
believed in and supported this piece OF
| legislation. They are also Endorsed
| by a substantial majority of the rep.
resentatives of the press. the pulpit
| ing and of a considerable section of
organized labor. The state grange
has twice Endorsed them and numerous
1ical lodges of that influential and
valuable order have also lent their
approval And finally they have, by
implication at least, received fndorse-
ment in the party platforms of both
of the great political parties now
jointly dominant in this state-an elo-
quent admission of popular merit that
is apt to receive more vociferous ex-
preston upon the political platform
If ever, gentlemen, committee of a
general assembly has had presented
to it a bill that could be accurately
described as popular measure, 1T IS
that upon which you are now sitting.
1t has been winnowed and sifted, it
has been deliberated upon and debat-
ed, it has been criticised and defend
ed, it has been beaten and brought to
life, and, like the tabled wrestler of
antiquity, it has arisen to the fray
with renewed strength every time its
shoulders have touched Mother Earth.
The "Cohrt of Commerce"
At this acute and somewhat dra-
matte juncture of fhe controversy,
there is put forward a proposal for
what is termed court of commerce,
T hope I have 100 just sense of leg
isiative propriety to PREJUDICE Il meas
are in advance of hearings. hope,
too. that few of US are so constitut-1
ed as to be prejudiced against the
measure, because it is submitted by
the president of our greatest public
service corporation. am here, as
you are to listen and to learn. The
ancient proverb, Beware of the
Greeks when bearing gifts,'' loses
much of it's validity when the partic-
ular Greek making the Offering is the
heaviest taxpayer in the entire state.
1t is erninently proper that any or
al public service corporations should
submit proposals here for our con-
sideration, and it is altogether cred
liable and significantly encouraging
that this particular one is submitted.
openly bearing the clear imprimatun
of it's authorship.
Their Position Two Years Ago.
But, gentlemen. this proposition
comes to us late in the controversy.
1T is not only new to the people of the
state but so far as I am informed
new in the history of similar legisla-
ton anywhere. 1t would nave been
better had this novel plan been pro-
posed earlier and thereby received the
benefit of the discussion and DELHI
Grafton that has been given to it's pre-
lecessors It has not been all issue
in any campaign. While commend
ing the candor that presents the bill
in this manner, I cannot forget that
when two years ago L was sitting
where you now sit, and was looking
for light, as you are now looking, I
repeatedly asked the representatives
of the public service corporations, adj
dressing my query upon one occasion
to the able chief counsel of the very
corporation that stands sponsor for
this bill, why they did not propose
some amendment, or offer some alter
native to the draft then under con-
eration-why, indeed, they did not
help US, why their attitude through
out had been purely destructive and
They offered nothing. contributed
nothing, suggested nothing. There
was not q constructive syllable, line
or sentence il any one of their long
and able arguments.
Now, at the eleventh hour, after it |
Is conceded beyond peradventure that
some type Of utilities bill must be |