New-York tribune., 1903-02-23
CALL 1T INEFFECTIVE.
Mr.. NEWCORN'S BILL.
Admit Futihty of Railroad Measure
II Ne1C One.

the subject upon which it proposes to leEislate
or the significance of the reform which u IS
necessary to promulgate To such an extent
are these and other criticisms of the bill now
pending in the House Of Assembly prevalent
that it's utter futility is conceded not only by
those who realize the great importance of the
appointment of a State Railroad Commission
duly qualified and empowered. but by tnat Grass
of individuals who gather in the chambers ana
the corridors OF the State House whose single
excuse for being there is to convey TO the cor
porations or interests by which they are en-
ployed the Importance of their services, and
to whom the introduction Of bills affecting rail-
roads in any way is especial meat The more
railroad bills introduced. significant or tnsis-
niicant the better are they enabled to impress
their usefulness on their employers They know
intutively that bill in such a form could
become a law, and that therefore their occupa-
ton is in no danger of being restricted by the
appointment of a State Railroad Commission
under its provisions. If this bill should be seri-
ousy pushed they would fight il, of course, and
equally of course take unto themselves the credit
Of defeating it, when in truth the bill would fail
naturally. A bill which does not command the
respect and support Of public opinion is in no
danger of becoming law where great interests
are at stake which 1t fails absolutely to COM
prehend ana would be Intellectual to aid
glance at Mr. Newcorn's bill shows that it
| requires the appointment by the Governor of a
commission OF four persons. who must be either
| dsinterested railroad experts practical rail-
road men," This requirement. practically as
sumes that the Governor is incompetent 10
! choose the members of the commission. and re-
stricts him to the selection from class, and
does not enable him, as such law should, to
name upon the commission such men as he
might and naturally would be disposed TO
select from ali classes, his object being TO
obtain the best men for the duties involved. no
matter what their profession, occupation OF
calling might be.
| Another curious not to say striking, provision
| of Mr. Newcorn-s bill is that the commission
| shall perform such other duties may from
| time to time be delegated to said commission by
| IegtsIatfve authority" State Railroad Com
| mission thus equipped or. rather, unproV1deu'
| with authority would be about as enectIve t'
meet its obligations to the public as handcar
| would be TO haul a limited express from New
| York to Chicago =
| The want of appreciation of the character ana
province of such railroad commission as Is
| naedad IN he useful and practical is shown oy
the nrovision Of the bill which fixes the annual
| salary of the commissioners at "S1'9UV edch'
| In Nex-York State the required character anu
ability of the commission is such that 'he saiaiS
| is fixed at SSO 900 a year, and while Ne"-JSrseS
-r,,ebt NOT deem it wise 10 place the services of
| commission at so nlSIl NdAAC' II A-
| 70 everybody that the services OF the AILu %
| mon reouired for the duties imposed could not
! be obtained for a petty $1,000 year
THE BILLS OMISSIONS.
| The omissions in the Newcorn orl are even
more conspicuous than it's failure 10 nee'
iii. rAnuirements But these need not De
p19'n .1.to,,aa bara inasmuch as another railroad
| oor,r,ission bill will be introduced into the
| t1,,sa of Assembly within few days This olil
| is now, hefng prepared by Assemhlyman George
| Cook. of Bergen County, and Will De mooele'
| largely upon what is known as the Johnson OIil'
| which was introduced by Senator Johnson OF 1i7
| same county I'm 1898. although the New oiN'
| Massachusetts, and Connecticut railroad COM
mission laws will be drawn upon In the prep
| aration of his bill. MI Johnson. who IS known
| as one of the ablest lawyers in the state eXe'-
| cised the greatest care and scrutiny ne hoC
| only adonted the best provisions of the New
| Work. Connecticut and Massachusetts laws, out
| he consulted with ex-Attorney General oIrissS.
| Charles L. Corbin, William H. Coroln ana o'her
| eminent counsel SpeakiHg of the matter yes
| terdav Mr. Ciriggs said that Mr. Johnson was
| thoroughly ca pabIe Of drawing a railroad COM
| mission act without consulting with anybody
| and that he regarded the b.II which Mr. john
| son presented in 1898 one of the best that
could be presented to the legislature at that
| .. This hill also received the approval OF
/
/ o+her able members OF the New-Jersey bar and
| citizens of the highest personal and business
/ character Mr. Cooks bill will closely follow IN
| q general way the lines of the Johnson BILL Tith.
| of course such changes have been made
/ necessary bv the lapse of time and the different
/ axfstine, conditions A feature in which Mr.
/ Cooks bill will differ from the Johnson bill is
| that II will confer absolutely upon the Governor
/ the mower Of appointment. and no suggestion
will he made by ii as TO what profession or cali
| ine- the commissioners shall be selected from.
| This Is as il should be- and will meet the popu-
| lar desire in the construction OF the commis
| sion 4 part OF the Johnson bin which probably
| will be retained by Mr.. Cook is the one which
/ nroyides that IL shall be the duty Of the COM
| nissioners to keep themselves informed of the
| procress and character of the railroad work
| done pursuant any order made by them un-
! der the authority conferred by the act, and 60
/ have a general oversight of the same, and, as
| the work progresses. TO make such changes and
/ rnodifcat tions in the plans and methods of con-
struction alteration as may be necessary.
/ after giving all parties an opportunity to be
/ heard thereon and in dispute shall arise
| i'm the progress of the work as to the meaning
! and intent of the plans and specifications
adopted by the commissioners and Incorporated
/ in their order the decision Of the commissioners
/ shall be final and binding on all parties. The
| method OF taxing and assessing the cost ee
/ improvements and changes in railroad eonstrue-
| ton viii be stated in MIR Cooks biH as viii
/ all other matters WHICH are pertinent To the
| protection of both the public and the railroads.
| THE NEED OF \ COMMISSION
In the light OF recent events IL would seem TO
| be unnecessary to urge by argument or ilIustra-