Norwich bulletin., 1921-01-22

Connecticut business men, as repre- 'sented in commercial and industrial or .ganizations. have just recorded them
 selves in favor of comprehensive pro-
 gram looking to improvement of the
 countxYs street railways. The result of
 their vote on referendum on public
 utilities, conducted by the Chamber of
 commerce of the United States. just
 made public, shows that they approved
 by large. majorities all of the eight rec
 ommendations advanced by the public utilities committee of the chamber. The If Connecticut organizations vot- ing were entitled to ss votes. The propo- sitions considered and the vote on each in Connecticut follow:
 l. Existing traction facilities should
 be censerved-for ss. against o. 3. The attitude nov taken towards street railway problems should be based on the present and future needs of the community-for 3s. against o.
 l 3. The attitude which is taken towards street railway problems should contem- plate private ownership and operation-
 for ss, against Q.
 f Regulation should everywhere be | instituted that win follow promptly changes in the situation of the com lpanies rendering service of local trans- 1 portation-for s9. against O.
 1 5. Provision should be made against the consequences of unfair competition for ss, against 9.
 6. All burdens unrelated to the ser vice performed should be removed from
 street railways-for 2s. against 2.
 [. Official responsibility should. be
 1 definitely fixed for the application of reg
 lulation-for ss, against Q.
 I 8. Each company should seek to have
 available for the public at all times tht
 facts as to the results of operation and
 should have resident responsible execu-
 lives wholly conversant with local Ire quirements-for 3s. against O.
 The organizations that voted in Con
 nectiout were: Chamber of Commerce Bridgeport; Manufacturers' association Inc, Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce Greenwich; Chamber of Commerce., Inc. ]. Hartford The Connecticut Chamber O , Commerce, Hartford ;s Electrical Manu
 Efacturers' club, Hartford Manufacturers
 Association of Connecticut. Inc. Hart | ford; Chamber of Commerce. Meriden Chamber of Commerce, New Britain , Chamber of Commerce, New Haven , Lumber Dealers Association of Connect , cut, New Haven; Chamber of Commerct . fNew London; Manufacturers associa ! ton, Stamford; Connecticut Hardwar ! association, Woodbury.
 The referendum on public utilities the 33d taken by the chamber. Thl method is used by the organization as z means of obtaining the consensus of bui | mess opinion on public questions. The questions submitted for vote. we1 2 accompanied by a report of the commi ' tee on public utilities which set fort :. considerations leading up to the recon Il mendations made. There also went ol references to arguments in the negatiy r that members might have the opportun ,, ty of obtaining the fullest informatic . with regard to the proposals on which g vote was asked.
 '- With reference to the first propositic T that traction facilities should be -coi s, served the committee declared that tl 2 attitude taken by the public should l Q constructive and not destructive. addir K that the point of view must be that l y cal transpcrtation is an industry 10 70 fostered and developed. with ample pr lSe vision for correcting abuses and for pr + venting anyone from taking unfair a 70 vantage of the public attitude" le In support of the recommendation tn
 the present attitude should be based is present and future needs of the cor 1e fnunity, the committee called attention r. the widespread belief that in. the earli g. history of many traction companies the of had been. financial mismanagemeDt, b ly pointed out that ''if it be conceded tn ne the public interest is to obtain good ss ce vice at lowest cost and that street ra n ways arc esssptia1 and necessary, tn ys the sensible way to deal with the pre- re lem is to permit existing organizations re earn a sufficient sum over their operati d. expenses to induce investment of capi ne for extensions and improvements" IT. Private ownership and operation VI ls- recommended by the committee with { w declaration thai "a canvass of eve IT. consideration that has been brought f ls- ward in support of public ownership a he operation has resulted in the committe ed finding in it no solution for present ,pr'