New-York tribune., 1908-10-26
E. B. WHITNEY FOR TAFT
Democrat Comes Out Also for
HUGHES. Praising p. S. La7o.

Edward B whitney a prominent Democrat who
has twice voted for Bryan delivered speech at
10th Hall on Saturday night in which he came out
very strongly for Governor Hughes. and announced
also that he would vote for MI Taft. He discussed
several features of the Governors administration
and spoke particularly about the work of the Pub
lie Service Commission.
Mr. Whitney was spoken of prominently for chair
man of the commission. and two years ago
the candidate of the Judiciary Nominators for
justice OF the Supreme Court. He is corporation
lawyer. who has had large amount Of experience
representing both street railways and steam rail-
roads He understands the subjects thoroughly. and
his views. therefore. are entitled to much weight.
He said:
Now. I suppose that most of you remember that
there a time not long ago when We all had
have since been taken from US. There isn't any
free transfer law any longer III this city that
among the general public that We had law that
required every railroad to give +be tTapsfeT a.
that the law provided was that wnen one rail
road was operating another it must give trans
fer from any one point on the lines Of either 70
any other point on the lines Of either for single
fare. That was all the law there was about It.
And so. last year. some creditors OF the street
railroad system went TO the federal courts and
got receivers appointed, and those receivers nave
Now, there is just one statute of this state IN,
der which We have a right to have the raliroad
transfer passengers for single fare. and that
is the Public Service commissions law, which was
@ sh 64 M the sa5u6s re eS ovePaoP tne P0RHeh so0s
People ask Why if there IS such law the T,t Pqpf o
TWO rides for : cents The answer to that is that
there isn't anything in that law, and couldn't De
ANYTHING in that law and that there couldn't ne
New York or the constitution OF the United states
which would permit any commission or any @ 0.CeI
MES to give a transfer for nicke # they couIIo
rToft on whatever capital they have got rea-
sonab BILE right to ask profit on. NOV, t9ad e.a Is
and ~, the frst principles Of common justice And
so even the Public Service Commission me me NI0e S
deputed with this right to force the railroad com,
ticiar rate of fare unless they show that that
Of f is ore that vii ena6s ana tas te4efore T2TeaqI is is
the duty Of the Public Service COMMISSION iei0
= The he testmony has taken in the seth street
case the arguments we're mage vs. 1iii has now
got TO sit down and figure out how much wo1ld
oe lali d 14o ythetber they win find that IT is
cents or 1 cents. or cents, or whatever sum II
cause neither Of US has read that evidence. But
the only power that there Is anywhere 10 req15l@ q
the thing 10 be done at whatever Is the cheapest
tste @ Pi pnfi " s1ica Commissions law and that is
many wears to get adopted And we never got II
Who was clear headed and strong and determined
enough TO help Us set IT through. -.,.z.u.o
member Of the Cleveland administrator remem.
bering that the interstate commerce act one OF
the great landmarks Of OSr legislation, which es-
ablished a commission TO regulate the rates OF
the interstate railroads. a statute that was
signed by Grover Cleveland, was surprised 70
fnd the Dem Dcratic state machine coming out TINS
wear and Intending to commit the party 10 the
proposition that there ought to be no such com
missions at all.
AS MI Chanler has so long on a plat
form that he didn't believe in the thing at all
that there ought not to be any Public Service com
missions at all, and he has been forced off that
platform, l suppose the platform that he stands
on now is that he will do the next best thing 10
aboushing them and the next best thing to abolish
ing them will be TO have them elected.