The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-27
THE PUBLIC UTILITIES.
(Journal-Courier.l )


 It is impossible to reconcile the attitude of the judiciary committee of the Connecticut general assembly towards the proposed regulation and supervision of the public service corporations of the State, with working understanding of the deep philosophy which lies at the base of the problem. It is perfectly easy to reconcile it's attitude with the continued supremacy of the New Haven railroad company as the dom inant political power in this state.
 Had the majority members of the judiciary committee left the decision of the matter to the railroad com pany, it could not have produced an act more in accordance with its wishes, that is since something has to be granted to gratifying public opinion. What the majority report calls for is a separate commission for the railroads and a separate com mission for the other public service corporations of the state. Stripp 9d of its pretense, the proposed railroad commission is to be what the pres ent railroad commission is with fin creased powers" One will look ill vain in the report for an adequate grasp of the problem involved such as was clearly revealed in the re- port of the original commission ap- pointed by the legislature. In
  pose of lines of transporta ton as matter of obligation to the travelling and freighting public, and the prom ise of legislation in restraint of stock watering, no hope is held forth of effective regulation along essential lines. There IS no promise of the elimination of special legislation, the curse of the whole corporation ques- tion in Connecticut. no opportunity afforded of touching the rate ques- tion when the public feels itself op- pressed, and finally no escape from commission from the railroad treas ury. Finally the creation of two commissions to do what can readily be done by one brings the whole ma- jority report into positive disrepute It ought to be slung out of the win dow. The minority report is more impressive than the majority report but it. too, fails to grasp the essen tialS involved in legislation of this character. It provides for one com mission, which is good, and it in cludes the power to make rates, vital point of bringing all public ser vice corporations under general law.
 It is putting it mildly to say that both reports are disappointing. Neith- CT has enough sincerity in it to talk
 
 inwardly digest the able report of the original commission of investiea- tion, made by a body of men who at the outset of their work were in- disposed to the general proposition but who were brought to believe in it by what they learned upon patient inquiry and intelligent reasoning, to see how far from the essence of reg ulation in its broadest sense the iu- dietary committee is. What the State of Connecticut wants. and what it is going to have sooner or later is some means of protection against the vast power and insidious tempta- tion embedded in the principle of natural monopoly granted by a state that operates on the biennial legisla- tive method. It is not at all a ques- tlon of the men in charge of the properties to-day, either as officers or directors. It is question of the unknown influences of control which lie in the future. Connecti- cut needs to protect herself against in the way of organization under men not now in the public eye It is an 1mpertinence to say that this cannot be done under the constitu- tion before the supreme court has said word on the subject. But if it should transpire that the constt- tuition does stand in the way of the people of Connecticut fully protect ing themselves against possible abus- es of vast power, a way will be found to amend the constitution. It may be from the point of view of the Connecticut public service corporation that sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof and that there is judg- ment in resisting real regulation un- tili it has to be accepted. but it may we'll be believed Just the same that the corporations in the long run would be better off under the recom- mendations of the original commis- sion than under those of either of
 From our point of view, it is not of the slightest consequence what be- oorooa of 1o