The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-04-04
WILSON FACES FOES OF PUBLIC INTERESTS
 AT CAPITOL HEARING


 committee. The result was special act The city of Bridgeport has not taken one step in the direction of ac- quiring the water company in com pliance with the act.
 MT. Marsh said that there had been no complaint against the company, and there was no public sentiment for the bill, and it was really an impos1- tion to take up the time of the com mittee with it. MT. Marsh accused MT Wilson of not stating the object of his proposed substitute bill fairly. It is prop osed that the city can acquire the water company on one vote. That was a difference that was not a light or g. trivial one.
 The remarks of MT. Boucher, as re- ported by The Telegram were as fol- lows:
 ''At this point, Attorney Marsh ask ed City Clerk Boucher if he had any recollection of the common council taking any action toward acquiring the water company.a
 MT Boucher replied that he had no such a recollection during the three years that he had been a clerk. But he did recall that a, previous mayor, who had been alluded to by MT. Will son as being Kicked out" of the Democratic party, of sending i'm message advising the acquiring of the electric light plant. That matter was referred to the miscellaneous commit tee, who had reported adversely on the proposition, and the same mayor had signed the report.
 ''Mr Boucher said that while he was on his feet he wanted to reply to some inSinuations that there has been collusion between the Demo- crats and the Republicans, brought about by the influence of the water interest to keep out municipal owner ship. As a matter of practical poll tics the plank was left out of the platform. It was in on two previous elections, and each time there was a defeat of the party.
 '"The party candidate was always defeated under the plank. he said. But if MT. Wilson were consistent with his theory of public ownership, why was it that he opposed for mayor, the Senator from Bridgeport in 1907, who acted with the speaker, who was then a member of the House. who had corporated into the city charter measure whereby the city can acquire the water company? MT. Wilson is grossly inconsistent, he said. for the man for whom he did work mayor finger for public ownership of the public utilities in his life.
 "FurthermoFe, Wilson opposed the measures of the Taxpayers league in the General Assembly because their measures had not been first acted
 
 he is before the General Assembly with this measure which has never been before the common council.
 This man who has been addressing the committee does not represent the Democratic party said Mir. Boucher. He represents a faction and he is the biggest part of the faction. This is the first time that I ever had an opportunity to meet him on even grounds
 %sra paper. but he doesn't represent any body but himself in it. think that have said enough ''
 Alderman, R. G. DeForest. as chair man of the board Of aldermen. op- posed the measure. He said that he was not opposed to municipal owner ship, but he opposed the amendment because it had not been before the common council, and that body had adopted a resolution not to sanction any Bridgeport matter before the as- sembly unless it had been before the common council and acted upon. Ald- erman Earl Garlick opposed the measure for the same reason. He said that it was unanimous vote, and that the socialist alderman had also voted that resolution.
 George M. Flames, superintendent of the Singer Manufacturing Co.,, oppos- ed the Wilson bill, He said that he had been familiar with the industrial growth. of the city for the past. 30 years and the" expense sto acquire would be too much of burden. He hoped that the Hydraulic company had charge of the sewer system. which was rotten.
 Judge A. B. Beers spoke against the measure also, but from the view point of purchasing the electric light plant. He said that there had been on the statute books for the past 20 years a measure by which the city could acquire the plant, and the pres ent was a short cut to get it.
 Judge Elmer s. Banks of Fairfield, told the committee how Fairfield had voted unanimously against the propo- sition. He instanced the fact that 15 years ago Fairfield had it's own wa ter supply from the Dncowa company. That company had been purchased by the Bridgeport Hydraulic company, and Fairfield was opposed to getting its water from the politicians from Bridgeport. He said that there were 20 Fairfield residents present to enter their protest against the Wilson measure.
 Rep. Wilson in closing said: These gentlemen have asked you to believe that nobody has appeared here, ex- cept two persons, even as two of their own number. I had supposed until now that under our constitution and system of government the representa- tlVes or that community were empoW- cred in a peculiar way to speak the needs of that community to this Gen era1 Assembly, It is the Representa- tives of Bridgeport who say to you that Bridgeport wants this bill
 ''I ask you to note that the same contempt for the people of Bridge port that is felt by these gentlemen for the Representatives from Bridge port runs through everything they say to you.
 ''They ask you to take their views above the views of the Representa- tives of the people. They ask you to take their views above the views of the people themselves
 They assume to be experts this | question, and they tell you that these i corporations are too big for Bridge l port to operate. I have the reports |