New Britain herald., 1921-09-30

Mrmhcr Andlt nnrrnn nf cIrcnInilon.
THE TrNEY HEARING.

company yesterday. II Is believed. as
il is possible TO imagine. lie told of
the great mistake. caused undoubtedly
by generous heart" the corporation
has made In not charging proiitcerins
prices when everyone was making
money fast: how in 1914. with no Jit-
hey competition and with everything
favorable TO u the company had been
able 20 make hut something over j
per cent. lie told all the harrowing
details of that mistake and intimated
tlat the public should make up for IL
now when neither the people nor the
company has any money.
And he told how the cent fare had
been tried and had failed, the six cent
fare. tho seven cent. the zone sys
tom. then tho ten cent fare. whore, nc
seemed to admit. there might be pos
abilities " no jitney competition pre-
vented some success.
Yes, II was "A narrowing tale. And
when the mayor asked if he would be
willing to try u Ave cent fare for tive
months TO see 10 New Britain people
were all wrong In their belief that the
company would make more money
that way. his anguished cry OF NO"
Was the fnal straw which drove hope
from the hopeful. brought despair to
the desperate.
Tales OF little children having To
struggle through mud. snow and ice
for nearly third of the way down
town from tho Jerome street district.
and then having to pay ten cents for
TIE remaining distance. did not move
him. Has he a little child? Would he
let that little child suffer like THAR
Tales of accomplishing people liv
'ag at great distance from trolley
lines. but which would be reached by
jltneys, who had struggled to build
little homes and who are still strug-
Cling to finish or pay for them. per-
f,aps. did not ruffle his carefully
cared for. curly hair. Does he have
10 live in such n place. dependent upon
Iublic transportation?
Not at all did this graceful pleader
heed the human call. IL was the
harsh, iron voice OF the Connecticut
company--and ono may hear the turn
!hg OF a cog In every syllable of the
namo-that held him by the chains of
rough iron which bind him To it-iron
for strength. gold for decoration.
And he threatened. He told OF the
awful things that had happened to
Bridgeport when the trolley was re
moved. and the city's plea that the
trolleys come back. lie spoke OF the
unhappincss OF Dcs Moinos which. like
Bridgeport. had been unable to take
up tho transportation of its citizens
and learn all In "a few weeks or days
how to handle them-something the
trolleys had been studying for years.
Sir. oh, sir. how thou makest us to
weep
But New Britain people know the
peculiar conformation of our city
They know how his arguments mis-,
The point when applied to this city.
They know how the manufacturing
plans have ro-orRauized to meet the
situation. and tho manufacturers. or
tAelr representatives who we're pres
ent mt the meeting. know what dir
ference the jltneys make to them and
their employees.
Are the representatives of Landcrs
Frary a. Clark. or Landers. or other
nanufa cturers who sympathize with
tho people in this matter-are they
children In business DO they know
nothing about meeting hard times OF
REORGANIZATION To meet them? Are this
other mon who spoke for the jitneys
or reduction In fare and frequent
service by tho trolleys---aro they chill.
dren In business? Are they such that
u General Manager Of a company sucf
rs tho Connecticut company which
admittedly has made "mistakCs'-arC
they the sort 10 bow before it's cham
pionh az whose salary we dare no
SIess. and murmur humbly: Tho
tnoweat better than we?" And MAY
We forget that time when. forty year,
ago. they came to III begging 10 b,
allowed the privilege of running
~ .ough our streets. We see then
then suppliants. We see them now
nutocrats.
But above all are the men whC
Compose the Public Utilities Commis-
sion, men OF such order of intelligence
Ok heart. that everything that In jus
and right and fair to the people will
be blottcd out BY a specious argu.
raent OF man skilled In the mattel