Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-26
PRAISE IS GENERAL
New York's New Railway
Commission Commended.
QUIET AND ABLE WORK
Approval Given by Officials of the
Transportation Lines.
LAWS RADICAL PROVISIONS
Much Greater Power of Control
Granted Than Is Given to the In
terstate Commerce Commission.
LAWS RADICAL PROVISIONS
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

NEW YORK, n. Y. October %. 1907.
l have talked with several railroad man
ages and other officials here concerning
the operations OF the new public service
law of the state of New York and they
all seem to be satisfied with t. person
mel of the two commissions (for Greater
New York and tor the rest of the state)
and hopeful of practical and satisfactory
results from its application. The law has
| been in effect on'y a few months-since
the first of July-and there have been no
| tests of its provisions. The commission
for Greater New York has been engaged
a most entirely in an investigation of the
affairs of the street railway Inns, and
the commission for the rest of the state
has been quietly at work securing infor-
nation which will guide 1t in the per-
formance Of its duties The personnel of
the upstate commission is entirely salts
factory to everybody concerned. Indeed
l have not heard the slightest criticism
or question as to the fitness of any one
of the five men. Mr.. Frank W. Stevens
of jamestown. the chairman. is regarded
as unusually we'll qualified for his duties;
Mr. Osborn of Auburn. who has been en-
gagged in manufacturing mowers and
reapers all his life, has had almost every
experience that could come to a shipper;
Mr.. Charles Ha.lam Keep of Buffalo was
recently assistant secretary of the treas
ury and made an enviable reputation in
that Office. Mr. James F.. Sague of New
Hamburg and MIR. Martin c. Decker of
New PatZ are also commended in the
highest terms.
Fair, Able and Intelligent.
Mr.. w. G. Brown. senior vice president
of the New York Central railroad who is
an Iowa man and was educated on the
Burlington road, commends the commits
sion individually and collectively, and
says that its members have taken hold
of their work in a manner that indicates
knowledge, intelligence and a disposition
to be impartial and just to al. concerned
Although they have issued only one
two orders they impress me entire
fair and able. and they appear to under
stand their business. It's a good law"
said Mr.. Brown. but it all depends up
on the way it is enforced. AS the old
| lady said about the Christian religion:
| 1t is a good thing if ii is lived up to, bu'
a bad thing If 1t isn't We haven't had
any differences with the commission thus
far. 1t is working slowly and carefully.
and is showing an intelligent regard for
private as we'll as publ interests Tho
most important order it has issued looks
to the elimination of grade crossings in
cities, and it has decided that the ex
pense of such improvements shall BE-
divided, 50 per cent 10 be paid by the rail-
roads, % per cent by the state. and p
per cent by the municipalities, which is
ntirely fair
TIE commissioners for Greater New
York have jurisdiction over terminals.
but thus far we have no relations with
them They have been busy with other
matters"
Mr. William ]. Wilgus. cth vice pres
dent of the New York Central. who has
charge of the electrification of the sub
urban service of ttat road, speaks in
most complimentary manner of tie up
state commission. He says: They are
all first-class men, men of ability. expert
ence. knowledge, and tact: especially
qualified for their duties We have had
very little to do with them far. They
have not rea ly gotten to work yet; they
have been engaged chiefly, thus far. in
securing information, but the way They
have gone at it shows ability and fit
ness and they command the confidence
of the railway men OF the state.
The offic ais of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road are also unanimous in commencing
the commission collectively and individ-
uaily. Vice President Stevens of the
New York New Haven and Hartford
road says that the offfc'as of that COM
pany are entirely satisfied with the per-
sonnet and with the disposition of the
commission. although, thus far, they have
had very little to do with it.
Radical Provisions of the Law.
The law is radical IN its provisions. 1t
goes much farther than the statutes of
the United States, and the powers of the
commission are much more comprehen-
sive and arbitrary than those of the ma
tonal interstate commerce commission.
They include almost everything to which
railway men have objected and give the
twin commissions absolute authority over
the granting of franchises, the equipment,
operation, rates, and everything else con-
corning the management of both city. sub
urban and steam railways And, further