The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-31
RAILROAD SMASH AND POLITICS HAD
 CLOSE RELATIONS
Some Facts Voters Should
 Bear In Mind On November '
n,pecia1 to The Farner.)

Bedding, Oct. 31.-At first thought there would appear to be no particular connection between politics and the dividendless condidtion of the New Haven Railroad company, a condition which has brought material loss of in- come to many in this section as well as to thousands elsewhere. And yet except for the indirect acquiescence of the Connecticut Legislature the company's financial downfall could not have happened. Present conditions make impossible the repetition of such B thing, at least by the same methods which wrought the catastrophe, De- cause the Public Utilities law now in force forbids the sale by railroad cor porations of either new stock or bonds unless there is obtained for them their face value in cash. The measure also makes necessary the consent of the Public Service Commission before a company can extend it's lines by build ing or acquire other lines through pur- chase.
 The original of the bill finally enact ed into the Public Utilities measure was first presented in the General As sembly of 1907 and corporations under the leadership of the New Haven rail- read, biggest of the lot, arrayed them selves in a solid front of opposition to prevent it's passage. The bill owed it's origin to widespread belief that the corporations usually got the Legisla- ture to do what they wished, often to the detriment of public interests. In deed to say that the corporations had for long time exercised absolute con- trol over the states law making body is to reveal nothing new but merely to state fact known to all we'll in- formed persons. This control was eff fected and maintained in various ways. In most towns the railroad company had an agent, not labelled as such but still an agehf, who made it part of his business to see that the right kind of candidates went on the ticket for rep resentatives. Such men were not rec- essarily of the purchasable sort. It was usually sufficient that they were blindly docile followers of, the Repub- lican machine because the Republican organization was in effect the agent of the corporations. It is true that some members showed insurgency and that some Democrats faithfully served the corporations, but speaking broadly the Republican organization controlled the Legislature and that control was exercised in the interest of the Inter ests." What the preliminary hand picking of representatives and sen ators failedato effect was accomplished by powerful lobby using as its weapons appeals to party loyalty, be- etowal of offices and real money.
 Democratic members of the Legisla- ture from Bedding have clean records as to the Public Utilities bill. Michael Connery as a representative voted for 1t in 1907 and again an 1909. At the latter term the bill passed in the House but failed in the Senate. At the, 1911 session, when, 1t passed both houses, it received the votes of Lester o. Peck and Edward M. Bradley the repre- sentatives from this town. The for mer not only voted for 1t but spoke forcefully and worked vigorously in support of the measure. Jeremiah Donovan, present candidate for Con-
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