The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-03
CITIZEN KING
ADVOCATES HIS
OMNIBUS BILL
"Never Knew He Had Been
| Defeated" He Tells Leg
islators at Capitol.
SUFFRAGISTS PUT
o. X. ON THE BILL
Socialists, Too, Believe In
It's Principles Substi-
tute is Offered.
Especial to The Farmer)

tute is offered.
Especial to The Farmer)
Hartford, March 3.-John T. King
"citizen, taxpayer and Republican pol.
itician made his first appearance III
the state capitol during this session OF
the general assembly to advocate the
enactment of the so-callsG omnibus
bill.
a This is the measure embodyine
many principals of progressive legisla-
tion-so many that the bill has beer
viewed with suspicion by many mem
hers of Mr.. Kings party.
King defended the proposed legis-
lation as merely an anticipation OF the
inevitable land termed 1t an antidote
for Socialism. Among the others
who favored the measure in it's gen
eral principles were Jasper McLevy
prominent in the state councils OF the
Socialist party; Julius Stremlau
president of the State Federation OF
Labor; Miss Emily Pierson, state or
ganizer Of the Woman Suffragists, who
asked the committee to. record her or
eanization of over $1,000 members
as in favor Of the BILL Timothy M
Crowley, legislative agent of the
Hartford Central Labor union, and
DR.. Valeria II. Parker, of Hartford,
leader in social hygiene activities.
The opposition was represented IN
q humorous address by Evart b
Brown of Pomfret, q granger, who
announced himself asa candidate fol-
one OF the ,U00 corhfhissfonerships
Incidentally ridiculing the bill as
utopian measure and in a sharp attack
on it's proposed raid on the stats
( treasury, by Charles H. Potter, 9
. farmer Of Woodstock, whose argu'
ments indicated that he believed the
4 bill aimed to establish an eight hour
day on the farm.
The bill, as originally introduced
has been amended in several. features
rota bly, in the reduction of it's appro-
uriation from 100000 to $1,445,O 900
and in the number of its commission
ers from IL to 8.
Senator Bartlett briefly presented
the bin to the committee on the judi
ciary, which conducted the hearing
then called on John T. King to ad'
dress the committee.
Mr.. King at once took up the agri-
. cultural features of the bill, referring
to the decadent agricultural interests
Of the state. go into the average
, rural community Of Connecticut" said
Mr.. King, land you can buy a farm
for less than it would cost to put uf
its buildings To help the farm i
to help the whole state, he said
especially now that the growing in.
fustrial centers have devastated thu
AGRICULTURAL communities s5
"I have heard it said that this Is {
political trick emanating from me, t
retrieve defeat I did not know tina
i have been defeated very much II
( ANYTHING. But the sincerity Of thu
proponent Of any legislation has moth
ing to do with the merit Of such leg
islation. If Mr.. Jones leaves half
million dollars for a hospital, only be
cause he wants his name exploited
that is not. valid reason why thu
community should be deprived Of TIT
benefits Of a half million dollar hos
pital. This bin either is right and j,
1 the interests Of good government, O
/ ii is not That is the only question
involved.
Then he took up the minimum wag
and state the facts" said Mr. King
!; provision of the bill. LETS be bold
.~The average department store CAPT
I. talized at $780, 600 may turn. over it
!, capital eight or o times in the cours'
I of a year. The girl from the small
I farming community, comes into tn
i city to better herself. for, there wa
nothing left for her on the farm. Thl
genial gentleman who makes as higl
as 100 to $50 per cent In the clea
| win give that girl IS a week 1t vii
cost her SIS week for her room. $
q week for her board, and there
nothing left beyond that
| Thus, Mr. King explained, 1egdsla
ton along this line rs an antidote II
socialism And bear in mind" hi
urged UPON the committee. That rad
icaliszn always follows a period o
prosperity. And 1T rs only fair, AMI
Idecent and human, IL people viii mo-
cease their greed, for the state to TAXI
the situation in hand and correct It
els there any reason at all, In ths
world, why a man who starts out II
life as a good, decent, law abiding cit.
.izen, and works hard arid arrives a
q certain age In life, because Of sick
ness and adversely, must go to thu
poor house? The only Justification fod
the poor house liz our OWL greed"
Mr. king pointed to the examples o.
other coun tries. ct may NOT be tact
fun to CALI attention to Germany, jas
now" said Mr.. Kfng. -fbut many O
these matters wfrB inaug1fated IL
Germany.
Amy student Of policies hEast realizs
that before Lloyd George was ap-
pointed chancellor OF the excfTequer
If There was any natdcn on the verge
OF decay It was England The power.
full personality OF Lloyd George in
epired the coundence OF the people an6
produced a latent patriotism which
was due to the remedial Legislation
wa1tch he advocated He compared
the national spirit OF England ami
Germany before the awakening due t,
lloyd Georges efforts
lis 1t good business" asked MI
King, for a board OF directors to Sd
around a festive boand to declare div
adends Of five or six r2d11fons OF dol
1 lars, then rear mp on their hind leg
because it is proposed to tax them 70
the furtherance of work for the ben
eft OF the state?'
Urging the committee to console
the measure on it's merits, Mr.. Kin,
reminded them that he had seen me1
(. go to their political DOOM because thei
friendships rather than their princi
pies prompted them in their SUPPOSE
services TO the people.
Mr.. King again dwelt upon. tn
charge OF his fnsfncer1ty, and remind
ed the committee that often po1itfca
. expedfency or other means hav,