The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-20
GOVERNOR OPPOSES FEDERAL
 OWNERSHIP OF RAILROADS
Head Of New Haven System Explains Some Of The Problems Which He Is Facing In The New England Transportation Field = Annual
 Banquet Of City's Industrial
 Leaders Notable Affair


 Principal speakers at the manrnac- turers banquet last evening were Simeon E. Baldwin, governor of Con necticut, and Howard Ellott, c11alr- man Of the board of directors cf the New Haven railroad system. Lewis B. Curtis. president of the association, was toastrnaster The main dining saloon of the Stratae1d was taxed to it's capacity and the singing section as usual was. the brightest spot Of the enclosure Notable among the guests at the speakers, table were T. A Daily, the author whose poems and humor- ous writing have made him fAmouss sE1bert Hubbard, author and pubhcdst; ex-ConEress1nan E.J. Hill of NorWa1k; 1; States Attorney Stiles Judson; Ed- ward Riggs, one of the best known Journalists in the east and now e1ecu- five assistant to Chairman Elliott; Pice President Campbell and Storrs of the New Haven system; Kenneth Wynne, secretary to Gov. Baldwin; Rev. H. D. Ga1laudet; U. S. Mas S E. Haw1eys City Clerk Robdr1sons ; Charles D. Davds; George M- Eaness l. Philip Bird of the National Manu- facturers' Association and several To- cal naanufacturera
 Judson's roast to Baldwin
 The presiding officer having intro duced Governor Baldwin as the first speaker, the assem01age was brought to it's feet xzath, cheers when faiea fUas6f had EHished a stoast to tho words:
 .zI beg 10 propose a toast to the best governor in words character and abdl- fly shat this state has had since the days when our con1nonvTealtn Wl1n the free men of our state sedecGed their governors with sole reference to their high character and work
 Governor BaIdwin,s Speech.
 @Governnent ownership of railroads would be a step towards socialism. 2 declared Governor Simeon E. Bald win. He called attention to dangers which he believed would result to this state should federal ownership of rail- roads come and held that transp orta- ton rates in Connecticut were tTnrea- sona11e in many cases. fbecause they are unreasonab1y low Large in creases had been ordered in the radl- road expense account he said, and no corresponding advance had been al- lowed in the freight charges. Some of our railroad men, he said, "are e<ayinz that this is leading to govern ment ownership. should be sorry to believe it Government ownership of anything means monopoly, and a monopoly always carries an. element oe danger.'
 said:
 ssAlI Connecticut manufacturers have been feeling their way with some un- certainty during the last year or two. Here was this new tariff How would # work, particularly for Connecticut How would 1t work for producers, and how would it work for their custom eE?
 T do not believe there are many men here who will not agree that the old tariR was badly in need of some kind of revision But everybody nat uralIy wants any revision of any law to hurt him as little as possible
 ."Then came the transportation up heavals in Connecticut There is moi much use 1n manufacturing goods here unless we can get them to the marked at reasonable rates and with reason able dispatch. The buyers will not be found readily if the rates are not req sonable- The rates come into the price. and a, very slight variation in the rates, one way or the other, has a good deal to do with settling the profit in any large business. It looks to me as if the freight rates, on a good many classes of goods now charged in Connecticut were unreasonable be- cause they are unreasonasbly low, Large increases in the railroad ex- pense account have been ordered by the federal authorities, and no core spending advance has been allowed in the freight charges.
 Some of our railroad men are say ing that this is leading to government ownership. I should be sorry to be- ieve it. Government ownership oi anything means a monopoly The post office pays or pretty nearly pays only because it is a monopoly. A monopoly carries always an element of danger, whoever runs ft--danger to some interests. It needs close watching by the community, and in the interests of the community, which as closed to it.
 If there were government owner ship of our Connecticut railroads and Dur people found the rates of trans- porta&ion here going up, or our chances of competing with western and southern manufacturers going down. and appealed to the federal a.u- thordties for help, how much help would they get, in the long run, if the West and the South wanted to keen Things as they are2
 The influence of Connecticut in the affairs of the nation is growing stead fly Less. What do our five congress men count for in a Congress where some single states have thirty or karfyS