The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-26

BILL AS IT
WAS PASSED


Win rev exceptions, were defeated,
Senator Silzer introduced his revised
Hughes bill as a substitute, which
caused a storm in the Republican camp.
A committee will be appointed by
President Minch to draft a civfl
service bill and a direct primary bill,
for presentation next week. 1t was a
Republican plan. Senator John Hinch-
life, of Passaic, however, got ahead
of his Republican brethren by introduce
ing a direct primary bill fashioned on
Democratic ideas.
The public utilities bill, after passage,
went to the printers. 1t will be ready
for the House next week. What will
become of it over there is conjectural.
~Assemblyman Edward H. Wright, jr.,
just before the House adjourned. in
troduced a bill which contains all the
Silzer amendments. and this may be
passed, in. which event there will be a
deadlock.
While the members of. the lower
House were sitting around in the As
sembly chamber waiting to get 81 mem
bers to pass party measures, the Sen
ate, at 3 o'clock, got busy. AS loon
as the Rev. ]. II. H. Straw, of Grace
Lutheran Church, Hillcrest, had deliv-
cred the prayer, Senator William j.
Bradley, chairman of the committee on
corporations. reported the public utili-
ties bill with the committee amend
ments ~favorably.
The amendments. as adopted, were
as follows:
Add to Section 1 the following: Tho
Governor may remove any commits
sioner for inefficiency, neglect of duty
or misconduct in office, giving to him n
copy of the charges against him and
an opportunity of being publicly heard
In person or by counsel in his own de-
Tense, upon not less than ten days
notice."
In section 8 of the bill, as
first introduced, an error was
corrected and an insert made
that will make the approval of the
Governor necessary to the commits
sion's expenditure of funds If the bill
becomes a law. An amendment In
section 8 made the giving of false
testimony willfully a misdemeanor.
A change in section 9 provided that
the ~juetice having authority in the
premises may commit those disobeying
a summons to appear before the COM
mission to the common Jail for a
period not to exceed ninety days. That
Is a change, making the penalty def
mite.
An amendment to section IL
provides that public utilities COM
panies might be required by the
commission to adopt uch methods OF
bookkeeping as in the judgment of
the commissioners might be necessary
to an intelligent understanding of their
business.
To section IS the following was added:
mo corporation subject to the provis-
ions of this act shall give any free serv-
ice, pass, donation or emolument of any
kind whatsoever to any person hold
ing Office under the government of any
municipality of this State, except that
street railway companies may carry
free policemen and hremen in uniform
while attending to their respective
duties as such"
With the exception of a correction ii
fo1m of section IA, the committee made
no other recommendations.
As soon as the committee amendment
were adopted Senator Colby introduced his
amendments. The Essex Senator sug
gested an amendment to section Il, which
was practically a substitute for that para
graph. 1t provided forN the giving OF
power to the commission to make rates
and regulate fixed charges of corporations
operating public utilities. There was pro-
vision. too. that no excessive rates should
be charged for gas, electricity, street rail-
way transportation or any other service
tina came under the provision of the bill.
Senator Gebhardt approved this amend
ment and talked on it att some length
Senator Robbins spoke in opposition.
The question of direct regulation OF
rates." sald Mr.. Robbins, rs one that Is
being discussed widely throughout the
United States at the present time. Your
committee went deeply into the matter
and decided that it would be unwise to
Incorporate any such provision in the bill.
1t is a power that goes to the very ex-
istence of the corporations and might
make their securities held by the people
valueless.
1.-The time has not arrived when we are
to control and direct the great corpora
tons with their large investments. With
such powers as are suggested by this
amendment. proposed by the Essex Sen
ator, IL any one who felt aggrieved about
the charges made by the public utilities
corporations-and there are many such
among the users of gas, electricity, etc.
1t would be necessary for the commits
sioners to listen to every complaint and
then at the whim and caprice of the COM
missioners the rates to be charged coulo
be reduced or increased"
The Senator averred that 1t would be
more satisfactoryFto allow the commission
to investigate the force of present powers
before adopting new. IF they are proven
insufficient, / will be among the first to
vote for an enlargement"
The vote was then put on the amend
ment. Senator Colby and the Democratic
Senators, Price, Hinchliffe and Silzer,
alone voting against 1t.
Senator Gebhardt was anxious to have
the words ''and control added to section
7 Of the bill which provides for "supervis-
ion" over gas, electricity, electric light and
power street railways and other corpora
lions referred to In the bill. Senator Colby
was opposed to this, and Mr.. Gebhardt only
got the votes of his three Democratic
colleagues. The amendment was lost.
Senator Silzer then brought his sixteen
amendments to the fore. The first was
practically a substitute section. The Mid
dlesex Senator desired to have the men,
bers of the proposed commission elected in
stead Of appointed. There was immediate
opposition to this scheme. Senator Colby
took objection to it on the score that APP
pointment by the Governor put the respon-
sibility up to the executive which was a
good thing. Besides, as the bill is now
amended" he added, 'the Governor has
the power of removal"
The other Republicans rallied to the sup
port Of the Essex Senator and the amend
ment was lost. Senator Gebhardt then
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