The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-11
TALKS
LARGELY ON
RATE MAKING
Continued from First page,

some one at least, that the commissio
has not very much power, as 1t exisl
today. along certain lines ut least; that
is largely recommendation, as l undel
stand it.
"But If that bill is not sufficient, II
does rot reach out sufficiently far, let !
be thankful for the fact that we are I
in both branches, next year, and a RI
publican Governor L hope, and II so, W
win see that 1t is amended TO meet a
the needs and interests of the people c
New Jersey.
"But upon public utilities there is pendin
now a bill before the Legislature. and
believe that both parties are practicaii
united On that bill or largely so exceI
upon the single question of the rate MAXIM
power. The rate making l understand I
be this: II complaint or controversy arise
as to a rate, 1t may be within the poWe
of the commissioners to fix n maximum
rate.
II want to be perfectly frank with m.
fellow citizens i'm New Jersey. l do no
stand for a rate making feature in a publ
utilities bill which shall be arbitrary Wit
the administrative commission. But l WI
stand, do stand for this rate making poWe
in that commission from which an appea
may be made to the courts for confirmation
OF II. | have been upon the bench in New
Jersey and 1 surrendered the office Of Su
preme Justice not gladly, although TIL
ambition of any mar to be Governor %
this State il his fellow citizens elect hin
is enough to cause him to resign v tina
office.
81 do say this to you that there is no court
existing in this land-and | can speak now
with knowledge and without interest-ir
which the people can entrust their interest
and their well being more safely and more
quietly than the commission to the, courts
of New Jersey. so that If there be any
controversy with relation to actions OF this
commission with an appeal to the courts
the people are safe, and those whose IN
terests are to be regulated are equally
safe.
81 believe. also, that there should be power
in this commission on the application OF
any corporation or individual exercising
public rights or franchises to apply to the
commission itself In the first instance for
the forcing of the rates on his own behalf
on proper notice to the public and proper
opportunity to be heard.
$50 If these two provisions are in the bill
I am, for myself, in sympathy with the
bill and | believe it will comply with the
provisions of your State platform and we
shall ave had carried out already In q
non-partisan way by a Republican and
Democratic Senate and House all that Is
asked for on this subject In either plat
form by either party in this contest"
Mr.. Fort went rather extensively into
the subject OF riparian grants. reviewing
the history by which the grants were
made and telling wha in his opinion
SAlOuAu tt uOilN 11C Naid
THE law in New Jersey is peculiar. II
holds that the land between high and low
water mark belongs to the people. In. 1859
ii was the policy of the STATE never to sell a
foot of the land, but to hold 1t for the pur-
pose of revenues for school funds. In that
year the Legislature passed a Jaw authoriz-
ing sales of that land. That law was
tested and finally affirmed, and since then
the State. through the riparian commits
sion. has sold this land in large quantities.
"If we had said to the large railroad
companies and other corporations that we
would lease the land to them for so much
per year we would be deriving magnificent
rentals, so that we could have had a school
fund very largely in excess of what we
have been able to get.
80 / say to you that l want to see that
policy stopped and the lands obtained
again by the State and held under a lease
hold system. and one of the first things !
will do, If elected Governor, is to recon-
mend the repeal of the law of 1869"
Senator Colby, Tho came down to take
part in tine speaking, opened the meeting.
He said that he did not care nowadays
whether he was attending a Regular or
New Idea meeting, as the spirit In boil
was almost identical. The politics of boil
parties, he declared, had been mostl!
bTnkuin' for Tie last twenty-five years
but thst time was past and the voter
wanted to know what the principles of tn
candidates were before they gave him thei
suffrages. He also stated that the issue o.
the campaign was the excise question, bui
went no further on the subject.
Assistant Prosecutor Wilbur A. Mott, O.
East Orange, another Essex man on ths
platform. dealt only m general terms with
the political situation and stopped as soor
rs Mr.. Fort entered.
The candidate arrived here at 7:45, oil
time 10 the INFINITE, although twenty min
Ifcc had hQap iacf dfrrfpo tho loxr kr o41f
dents to the automobiles and delays II
stops. He was taken at once to WILLARD
Voorhees's home. where he met Senato
Colby and Mr.. Mott, and where b
snatched a few minutes rest after dinner
The South Amboy meeting, while en-
thusiastic. was little more than a stop t
meet the people of the town, and Sayre
vile, which was next on the line, claimei
very little more of the candidates time.
Mr.. Fort has been interesting the womel
OF the towns in his cause during the who'll
trip and at South River most of his tim
was taken UP in meeting the wives Of tn
reception committee and their friends.
Then the machines took the road 70
Old Bridge, arriving there hearty OF
schedule time. and cutting the stay a
short as possible.
Helmetta. where the factory of tn
American Tobacco Company is situated
was listed for a short talk from Mr.. For
TO the employees. but arrangements ha'
miscarrled and zone but the Office fore
was on hand TO greet him. He expresse
his disappointment in not being able I
carry. out the schedule as planned, an
went ahead to Janesburg, the town wher
the State Home for Boys is located. TIL
postof1ee in the centre of the town wa
the meeting place, and from its steps M
Fort talked, mostly to the women, on tn
Bishops law.
DR.. j. L. Suydam received the judge an
look turns with the other members of tn
committee, which consisted Of c. N
Davidson, Adam Colmer, Isaac NJ. Petit
and Milton Voorhees,. in introducing him [
the hundred or more people who ha
gathered to hear him speak.
The tow pump was the first thing tina
caught Mr.. Forts eye at Prospect Plain,
and his first move on landing from his ca
was to go over and put It to its intende
use.
Cranbury supplied the first band of til
day. Mr.. Fort reiterated his Jamesbur
excise statement, which was greeted wit
cheer after cheer. The Rev. DR.. ]. +
Cure acted as chairman and introduce
the speaker.
Several valuable minutes we're lost ther
and had to be made up at Dayton, wher
a general handshake was the best that NJ
Fort had time to give the residents.
Then came Midtown, over the road whe,
the Black Horse Tavern and the Red Lir
Tavern have sheltered travellers since II
ume when Washington Is understood I