The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-26
BANKS BILL REJECTED
(New Rritain HeraIdl

(New Britain Herald)
 The Senate rejected the Banks bill yesterday and it is now up to the fairfield representative to see that the minority measure concerning public utilities, receives his support and passes the House in accordance with his unsolicited promise made few days ago. The discussion of this ques- t1on has been worn threadbare and there isn't really anything new to be said about it. It may be of interest however, to revert to the conditions which brought this matter into the General Assembly this year so that the public may see the kind of a game that is being played at Hartford.
 It has been felt for several years that Connecticut ought to have a public service commission and an eff fort was made to pass a bill provid- ing for one two years ago, but ac- cording to the best information ob- tainable it was beaten through the influence of the railroad lobby Pre- vious to the last election the State Business Mems association drafted a bill and then interviewed the candi- dates for the House and Senate as to what they thought of it. Practi- cally all agreed to support such leg islation and they were elected on that platform. Several bills were presented to the Legislature this year, among them court of commerce act Mellen of New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad. He advocated it at the hearing before the judiciary committee but during his remarks he suggested that it might be good plan to retain the present railroad commission. No bill had been intro- duced to that effect and all that was said about 1t was by MT. Mellen him. self. No one seriously considered the court of commerce proposition and no one at the time gave any attention to MT. Mellen's suggestion for the re- tention of the railroad commission. As the timed rev near for the committee to make it's report Senator Judson drew bill embodying practically all the provisions of the Business Mems bill and it had the support of the minority of the committed The ma jority of the committee did not pre- pare bill at all but accepted one drawn by corporation lawyers con- taining the suggestion of President even reading it the majority presented it to the Senate. Those appear to be the facts as they came out during the debate. The belief was expressed that the railroad had the Senate, that it would kill the minority report and then the way would be made clear for the bill drawn up by outsiders, but the prophets were mistaken. Senator Jud- son discussed the entire question of public utilities and in one of the most eloquent speeches ever heard in the capital he advocated the passage of the minority report and the Senate by over two to one stood by him. The arguments offered by the opposition were very weak and though the re- ho hot several days, just as soon as Senator Judson began to explain the situation the opponents began pleading for de- lay in the form of a recess or an ad- journment but the majority kept them in their seats until the vote was talk en and they were defeated. The cry had been raised that the minority re- port was unconstitutional so the old plan of opposition was abandoned. Representative Banks had a new and weaker bill drawn over night by his partner, Attorney Davenport, and this was presented in the House as a sub- stitute for the majority report, the claim being made that it's strongest point was it's constitutionality and the railroad lobby, immediately began to shout for it. That bill passed the House by one vote, that being cast by the Speaker in order to break a tie. The victory was ascribed to two things, one being the statement of one member that the Governor had told him that he preferred the Banks bill to the minority report, which was afterwards found to be untrue, and the other that Leader Banks would support the minority report if the House passed his bill and the Senate failed to approve of it. The Senate rejected the bill yesterday and it is now up to MT. Banks to keep his promise.
 It is undoubtedly true that there is some political rivalry between Sena- tor Judson and Representative Banks, but it must be admitted in all fair ness that the former has had the better of the argument in the public utilities debate, his side of the uues- tion has been the best for the State and the eleventh hour reforms of his opponents came at a time to give them the appearance of stumbling blocks, and that only. The time for Mr. Banks to have presented his measure was in the committee and have 1t come into the Senate instead of the majority report, but his wait ing until the last minute, after months of consideration to introduce it is enough to defeat it. It is also true that great legislative victories are usually won by compromise and the question that arises now is whether disagreeing action may result in the defeat of all public service legislation at this session. In the first place there need be no fear of what the courts may do with the minority re- port if it is enacted into law. Some of the best lawyers in Connecticut say that it is constitutional and while others say it isn't, the fact cannot be definitely determined except by a court decision. This whole feature, I, a threat than anything else. and the thing for the House to do now is to pass the measure which came into existence in a proper way and which cc-.les nearest to what the people want. It should be remembered that if the minority bill becomes a law the railroad lobby will have less to do in future. there will be less meddling with legislation and the State will be the better for it. That would be a