The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-10-16
s. E. VINCENT URGES MERCHANTS 10 GET
 BUSY IN POLITICS
State President Points Out Re- responsibilities of Business
 Men in Politics.

Meriden, Oct. 1s.-The business men
 Of the state were urged to take ac-
 tive part in the formation of legisla-
 tion which would make for health
 growth and development Of the com monwea1th by President Samuel E. Vincent, of Bridgeport, in his annual
 address to the State Business Mems
 Association, which held it's annual
 convention here today. About 200 del-
 egates were presetn, representing some 39 local organizations
 President Vincent told his hearers that they should take the initiative in
 proposing healthfuI legislation and
 changes in certain state. practices in- stead of appearing in the role of ob- jectfng to laws without offering some thing better or something they con-
 sidered better. He Iikened the gov-
 ernment to a huge business enterprise
 requiring the guidance and advice of
 business men, yet whoever heard
 those who make our laws and shape
 our government policies ask for advice
 from business men?'
 Theorists, radical legislators, the
 disciples of cooperation, the ranter, the fault-fnder the politician, all must
 finally come back to your multiplica-
 t1on table, to your system of eliminat-
 ing the unfit and unpro1tab1e, if there Is to be a future healthful growth and
 development"
 III ndIllnS over SIdL0 QnOSEIOhS WHICH he believed the association should take
 up, President Vincent called attention to the public utilities commission "I am informed that some, if not all of the public utilities commissioners, l declare he said, that if they were
 asked to give their entire time to the duties of the commission they would
 resign"
 The business men, he said, should first find out if the. salaries are so
 small that the commissioners must follow other lines of business in order to live.
 Taking up the matter of demur-
 rages, MT. Vincent said he had been informed that the railroad company is organizing a movement to increase
 the rates from one dollar to two. He also scored what he termed the un- businesstilxe laws and practices gov
 erning the expenditure of millions of dollars for state highways and said that the commissioner may exercise CZar-like authority in spending 34 hundred thousand dollars for high
 ways in the next two years. He may build roads where he pleases.'' said MT. Vincent, 'let con- tracts to whom he pleases and pay help what he pleases."
 Referring to prison labor he said that both jail and prison labor is sold to contractors at ridiculous1y low prices and asserted that better results would be given the state and the pub lie if this labor was employed under
 more humane and economic business
 methods.
 He advocated extension of civil ser vice and in favoring vocational train ing for young men and women said:~ Little attention appears to be giv- en by our educators to the real needs | of the young man and woman when | they graduate from school and college or are forced out because of failure | to pass technical examinations which l only in a theoretical way demonstrate ability and mental soundness."
 The treasurer, R. Lamott Russel, South Manchester, reported receipts of
 $2, ,1s5.S1 and a balance of $1, ,119.21. Secretary B. S. Valentine, of Derby, reviewed briefly the activities of the year and stated that one new local that at DanieIson, had joined the as- sociation.
 At a dinner which followed adjourn ment of the morning session Frank F.. Glynn, of New Haven, gave a talk on vocational training and trade l schools.
 Officers were elected as follows: President, Frank H. Johnston, New Britain; first vice president, Charles A. Pease, Hartford: second vice-presf-
 retary, F. s. Valentine. Derby; treas
 urer, R. Lamott Russell, South Man
 chester.