New Britain herald., 1916-03-09
OPPOSED ID CHANGE
 IN RAILROADS PAY
Connecticut Business Men Believe
 Moon Bill Is Unfair
Especial to the Herald

Especial to the Heralo)
 Washington, March 7.-Organiza- tions of business men in Connecticut and other states have been Drotestine, to congress against enactment of the so-callcd Moon bill for changing the basis of calculating pay to the rail- roads for carrying United States mails.
 Prominent among the protestants is New Britain Chamber of Commerce. Other protestants from Connecticut include the Bridgeport Board of Trade and Manufacturers association the Danbury Business Mems association, New Haven Business Mems associa- ton, and Chamber of Commerce: Southington Board of Trade, and Tor rington Business Mems association.
 The Connecticut organizations have joined with the Merchants associa- tion of New York to fight the bill, which has already been passed by the house of representatives The bill pro- poses to reduce the compensation to the railroads for carrying mails. Many business men say this is bad policy; that the railroads should be treated fairly and be paid by Uncle sam reasonable amount for their ser vices; that if the railway mailpay is reduced and the railroads revenues imperilled, the railroads must take 1t up by raising rates on freight and passengers and that if the mails Oc- cupy too much of the railroads car space the result will be a shortage of space and other transportation facil- ities for the business and traffic of the country.
 Farm Crops in 1915, $50, ,S32 900.
 Connecticut farm crops last year aggregated $30,S32,OOO in value, ac- cording to an estimate made by the agricultural department This was not quite as much as the estimated value of Connecticut crops in 1914, but it compared very favorably with the average aggregate value of Con- necticut crops in the five years 1902 1913, which was s28, 541O0O. Connect icut ranks fortieth among the states, in the value of crops.
 President Wilson has sent to the senate the nomination of Harry E. Slo- cum to be postmaster at Madison, Connecticut.
 Many Desire to Be Citizens.
 According to the department of la Dor here there were 3,874 declarations of intentions to become citizens Ilieo in Connecticut during the fiscal year 1915 and 1,724 petitions filed for nat uralization. All this was done m cl- ties that are cooperating with the de- partment in the scheme for American izing the alien population of the United States. As part of this scheme, the department sent to the public school auth critics of the state the names of 1,S49 persons who have eith- CT recently become citizens or are contem pla ting doing so. The school auth orities are undertaking to interest these people in American life, Cus- toms, habits and language as well as Night school is being at tended by many men and women of foreign birth.
 State Engineers at Work
 Besides the army engineers engaged on waterway improvement work in Connecticut, the war department has employed a number of civilian engi- neers on this work in the state, ac- cording to a recent report to congress. G. F. Verrill of New Haven was em- ployed all last year at a salary of $25o per month; Robert w. Chaffee of New London at $175, per month; F.. w. Crawley, New Haven, at $165; Ed ward B. Shell and Frederick s. Chap man of Saybrook at $125 per month each; J. C. Williams, New Haven ana Lucian W. Hines of the same place, at S115 per month each. These men were busy at New Haven or New Lon, don and in the field, in connection with improvement work and engineer ing work on the Connecticut, Housa- tonic, Thames, Mystic and PaWca. muck rivers, harbors of New Haven. New London, Stonington, Duck Island, Branford Milford, Bridgeport, Nor walk, Coscob, F'ivemile River, Stam- ford, Southport, Westport and Sauga~ l tuck.
 A bill has been passed by the house l of representatives to pay Connecticut l descendants of John Howard Payne, I composer of Home Sweet Home" the l sum of $2O6 found to be due him by ! he government on account of his ser l vices as United States consul at Iunls, l