The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-03-06
WILSON ASKS
NEW WAYS TO
PAY MILEAGE
Bridgeport Representative Heard
in Debate in House
on Transportation
NO ACTIoN TAKEN

NO ACTION TAKEN
Shortly before 2 O'Clock, tine
Enos bill was defeated ON roll
call, 81 to SO.
Representative Wilson in1medi-
ately moved the adoption of the
minority report, the Peck bill. \
Attempts were made to adjourn
the House and roll call discIos-
ed no quorum. A short recess
was taken and when the House
reconvened again a quorum was
lacking.
Adjournment was then taken
until next Tuesday.
Hartford, March 6.-The House spent
it's entire session today debating bills
which sought to provide Transports
ton for members of the general as
sembly and certain employees of the
state. After an hour and half the
Enqe bill was called up. This was a
majority report of the railroads COM
should assign Atheir mileage to the
comptroller and receive transporta-
ton for the session. This was defeat
ed 81 to SO. There was to be a com.
panion bill with this one, which, in ef-
feet, would provide that if any def1-
cheney existed in paying for the mile
age it should be met by abating taxes
Of the railroad company. This bill
aroused a long and spirited debate in
which many members spoke at length
on the principle involved.
At 1:15, Representative Wilson call
ed sfoEsa vote on the Peck bill, which,
Pin ERA - would provide free trans
portation by compelling common car
riers in the state toFfurnish such free
transportation to all members.
When the mater was called up, Mr..
Enos, of Simsbury, moved the passage
of the minority report. Mr.. Wilson,
of Bridgeport, said he was for either
bill so long as transporta ton was Sc
the minority report. He said these
are several ways to secure this trans
| portation other than as provided by
the bills.
The first was through ordering the
comptroller to furnish transportation
under Section 142, under which section
members have heretofore received
their transportation, and ordering the
comptroller to carry out the provisions
of that section until an Interpretation
of it could be secured through the
courts.
The second way would be to make
an order on the contingent fund of the
House to pay the expense of getting
the members to the sessions. The
third way would be to follow the con-
stitution which says that the House
may adjourn and may be called into
this plan the members could secure a
second allowance of mileage. This
would be perfectly constitutional.
The fourth way would be to pass a
law providing that no further charter
right should be issued to common
carrier in the stateun1ess said common
carrier was called upon to carry mem
bers free of expense. He went on to
say that the state has given away mil
lions in value in franchises without
the corporations wheR1 received those
franchises returning any revenue to-
wards paying the expenses of the
state.
The fifth way would be to call a
constitutional convention and the
sixth way would be to make con-
stitutionaI amendment which would
take six years to pass. He said that
the two reports before the House
were of the same import but that he
did not favor the majority report, in
the first place because it conveyed an
understanding which was not in pos
session of the people. This under.
standing related to the abandonment
of the taxes on property Of the rail-
road company. The minority report,
he thought, went>right to the root of
the whole matter and compelled COM
mon carriers to carry members free.
classes and conditions of the people
should be represented in the Legis1a-
ture and that no such obstruction
such as the lack of transportation
should be put in their way.
He said if there was such obstruc-
ton it would mean that the Legis-
lature would be composed only of
wealthy men. He said he loved the
constitution and was sworn to obey it,
but he did not want to Sc the present
system of government altered by a
mere technicaIity. He wanted to see
the House kept a poor mans House
as it always had been and he hoped
always would be.
Mr. Avery, of Groton, opposed the
bills pointing out that the constitu-
ton must be obeyed. He said that if
the mileage had to be paid the mem
bers should pay it like men. The
railroads were not responsible for this
condition, he added.
John Szimkiczizi, a laborer who on
January T.. met with an accident in