The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-28
MARIAN FAVORS
 DEVELOPING ALL OUR WATER WAYS
All Shore Line Towns Where Commerce Could Be
 Benefited
CANALSFOR RINLANDPLACES
Tells Why State Should Not Repeal Grant of $1,00O,OOO
 for Steamship Terminals
By Our Staff Corres.)

By Our Staff Corres.)
 Hartford, Feb. 2S-At the close of the hearing in the hall of the House yesterday on the bill introduced by Senator McNei1 of Bridgeport repeal ing the act passed by the General Assembly of two years ago appropri- Eatng- S1 coo 900 for terminals and wharf development at New London, the con- sensus was that the committee on Roads, Rivers and Bridges before whom the hearing was held would re- port adversely on the proposition of Senator McNeiI.
 The Farmer yesterday printed the argument of Senator McNei1 in favor of his repeal measure. Senator Cheney and Representative Hall of Wilmington told the committee yesterday that they favored repeating the action of the legislature of two years ago. The principal argument against the repeal was made by former Senator and Congressman-elect Bryan Mahan. Mayor Of New London. Others who spoke against the repeal were former senator William J. Brennan of New London. Senator Miner of New Lon don, Captain Thomas Hamilton and Representative Tanner of New Lon don, and Representative Whfttlesey of Morris, IitchheId county.
 Representative Hall said he did not think the State of Connecticut ought to go into the business of building steamship terminals. He criticised the Knanner in which the business of the state has been conducted and said that if any business man in Connecd- eue conducted his business as the state did It's business he would soon be a bankrupt. He took the position that she state had no normal right fo contract such a debt as 1t was pro posed to contract by the building of
 
 He said while ehe appropriation was already made, calls for the expendi- tura of $1,0O0,Oo0 no one could tell how many additional millions the scheme vTouId entail before it was completed He said he was under the impression that the scheme was an air castle. In reply to 8 question ov a member of the committee MT. Hall intimated that he was opposed to the development of any waterways industry in the state at state expense He said that he had no doubt but that New London harbor was the best in the state Asked if New London did not have the best railroad facili- ties in the state, he replied that 1t had very good facilities but he was not prepared to admit that 1t had the best
 Senator MoNei1 then announced that former Lieut., Gov. E. J. Lake had intended to be present in favor of the repeal measure but at the last moment he had been called out of the city
 '@what evidence have we,' inquired Senator Fred Johnson, chairman of the committee, that MT. Lake is in favor of this repeal?''
 "You have my word for it'' replied Senator McNeil.
 Former Senator William J. Brennan of New London. law partner of U. s. -f~w- @T11 lac abiest and most eloquent Of the younger %awyers of the state made a brief and forceful address in opposi- fion. He stated that the merits of the New London harbor appropria- ton had already been adjudicated and properly be so for all time. He said that a competent commission of ex- perienced men had passed on the is- sue and that there existed no neces sity to reopen the case
 He told of the exhaustive hearings of two years ago, how carefully the matter had been gone over, step by step, how people from all parts of the Etate had expressed themselves in fa- vor of it, and of the thorough ex- animation given by Governor Baldwin to It before he signed the bill. He referred to the work already done by hhe engineers engaged by the conn1is- sion in soundings. etc. Tn closing he Baid i've claim the question has a1- ready been adjudicated and that the burden-and it Is a heavy burden rests upon those who are here in op- position to it to show why it should be repealed and I must say with all adeference to the gentlemen that they have introduced nothing at this hear ing which should warrant the commit tee in taking their view of the situa- tfon If we thought it necessary we could have filled this hall with Farmers, manufacturers, bankers. and business men who have given this matter careful attention, and who are ga tisfied that it is a step forward which means much for the future of uur industries in this state.
 MT Brennan then introduced Con- gressman-eIect Mahan, who has been much in the 1imelight since the com rnencement of the present legislative session. and whose activities against the naming of William H. Caldwell as highway commissioner probably re- suited in the movement now under way to take away from the city over whose destinies he presides the $1,- 100000 appropriation voted it two years ago.
 MT. Mahan was Senator from New London at the last session and the securing of the appropriation was largely due to his alertness and in- dustrv. He told the committee yes- ferdav that the state made no gift to New London; it simply made an in vcetneut which in the opinion of those most competent to judge would ~eturr1 four-fo1d dividends to the state besides giving to Connecticut indus
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