The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-03-12
Hearing on Franchise.

Farmers, ex-farmers and some people
who would not be suspected of being en-
gagged in agricultural pursuits attended
the hearing given by the senate commit
tee on municipal corporations on Tues
day on the Robbins bill, which is de-
signed to limit the application of the
limited franchise law" of last year to
first and second class cities.
All of the advocates of the measure did
not appear in the senate chamber where
the committee sat, those representing the
financial interests seeking extension of
public utility franchises throughout the
suburban sections of the state occupying
seats in secluded section of the gallery,
while the South Jersey farmers who, in
addition to few state officials, did all the
talking for the bill, were in the limelight
That condition of affairs, while not
known to Albert G.. Smith, of Orange,
who, representing the Newi England
society of the Oranges, was one of three
citizens present who opposed the bill, but
1t appeared to be surmised when replying
to the plea of the farmers, he remarked
that while the voice was the voice OF
Jacob, the hand was that of Esau The
other opponents of any modification OF
the existing limited franchise law who
spoke were Stephen A. Condict, of New
ark, and Herman E. l.. Walker, of
Orange, who, with Mr.. Smith, furnished
statistics to show that every up o-date
state in the Union had adopted the limited
franchise plan and that the argument that
this method prevented public utility de-
velopment YVES a spurious one All the
advocates of the bill were from South
Jersey, and their argument was all on the
same line.
In substance, it was to the effect that
the ever decreasing value of the farm land
of the state in practically all that section
south of the Raritan river was due to a
lack of adequate transportation facilities
from the farm to the great home markets
of Philadelphia and New York, which
were. because of superior transit facilities
being supplied at lower cost from the
farms of Michigan and Missouri, than the
same goods could be raised and delivered
here with the antiquated wagon system,
which is about the only way by which the
central Jersey farmer can reach the Phila
delphia market. This is because the rail.
roads skirt the Delaware river on the
west and the Atlantic ocean on the east
and the haul to either at a point where
perishable or even staple produce might
be loaded is almost as long as to the mar
ket on either side.
Senator Robbins, introducer of the bill,
former Senator Parry, Franklin Dye, Sec
rotary of the state board of agriculture;
E. T.. Voorhees,. president of the same
board; Samuel s. Fort, of Burlington;
Henry Pfeiffer, of Atlantic; Horace Rob
erts, of Burlington, all told of the condi-
lions existing in the farming section and
of what they believe to be the only method
of immediate relief. cheap method of
rapid transit, such as they believe would
be furnished by an adequate extension of
the trolley system. Nothing in that di,
rection, however, they all agreed. seemed
probable in the immediate future if cap
italists engaged in such enterprises could
obtain no more than a twenty-year fran
chise, subject to renewal at the within of
local governing body. They cited many
instances to show the real situation as
they found it.
DR.. Parry injected some humor into
the proceedings by telling how he had
while senator from Burlington voted for
every bill coming along which increased
the burden of taxation in Essex county
assuming it might induce the residents of
that county to migrate to Burlington, but
he said, sad to relate, the scheme didn't
work and many of Burlington's sons had
migrated to Essex. He was opposed to a
limitation of franchises In any form, he
added, because it did not reach, but rather
created monopoly for the great corpora
lions and gave the weaklings no chance at
all. Last year, he said, when the bill was
pending he could have brought an army
20 Trenton in opposition to it, but he
learned the bill had to be passed to suit
eertains sections at that time and he con-
sidered opposition futile. A year has
demonstrated it to be move in the wrong
direction, he said and it should be changed.
Mr.. Smith said the advocates of a mod
ification of the law were evidently labor
ing under misrepresentation when they
the shrinkage in value OF farm