The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-07

Senator Mahan in opposing the adoption of the minority report on i pslhe1c goAities in the Senate yester- day afternoon delivered a most effeo- tive speech from the standpoint of port. Hs said:
 The Majority Bills now before the Senate provide fin our opinion the sim- chanisn1 for holding the public service corporations of the State toSthe per- formance of their duties to the public.
 MECHANISM OF BILLS
 Anyone who thinks any rate charged by a public service corporation is too high, or thinks the service afforded by such corporation is in any respect insufficient, or who sees any neglect of proper precautions for the safety of the putaie or of employees. has only to write . letter to the proper com miGsion, making his complaint. The commission VIII thereupon start an in vestigaf1cn of the subject. The con- Qlatnant will not need any lawyer. All he has to do is to explain in his own way b the commission the mission VIII also hear the corpora tion's side Of the case. and after a full fnvestfgaxion will decide whether the oomplafnt is reasonable or not.
 If a trolley fare or a telephone charge or a lighting of water rate that hes been complained of is higher than 1t, ought to be, the commission will make such finding as to the rate that ought to be charged as they shall find to be reasonable. Similarly, if raihoed trains Or street cars are not run often enough, or if they are not properly lighted Or heated. or if in any , respect the service afforded by a railroad or street railway company CT hy telephone company or light ing company or a water company, is 0nssttsfactory, the commission will make suitable finding as to the fail are of duty by the corporation com plafned of. and as to what must be done by such corporation to constitute . performance of its duty to the pub Ac or to any member of the public. Any individual who thinks his gas 0neter or electric meter or water meter RAcorrect may complain to the com mission and have the meter inspected. 6 any community will furnish the ap- 0aratus for locally testing meters, the Commission must regularly test such meters and stamp them.
 REPEAL OF SPECIAL PRIVILEGES
 Anyone who examines the charters granted in Connecticut to public ser vice corporations finds that 1t has never been customary to place in them conditions regarding rates to be charged or services to be rendered On the contrary, the charters contain meny provisions apparently exempting the corporations from any regulations as to these matters. It has therefore heen expressly provided in the ma jartty bil1s. in the most general lan- guage, that no existing statute, wheth- CT public or private. shall limit the powers of the commissions and the courts in securing reasonable and just rates and services to the public.
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
 MAJORITY AND MIN
 ORITY MEASURES
 The majority bills now before the Senate differ from the minority bill in these main respects:
 First: They much increase the al- ready great powers of the railroad commissioners. instead of abolishing the board; and they create a public service commission for all public ser- vice corporations except transporta- ton companies.
 Second: They provide effectively a right to try in the courts of this State all issues of fact and law relating to the duty to the public of public service corporations.
 Third: They do not contain a lot of crudely considered provisions, some of which will not readily harmonize