The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-11
MARTIN SCORES
UTILITIES BILL
BACKED BYFORT
Essex A~ssemblyman Sees Joker
in Measure Proposed by
Robbins.
DECLARES SENATOR COLBY
HAS SOLVED THE PROBLEM
Says Legislation Urged by Bur-
lingtOn Leader Conflicts
with Interstate Laws.
tFrom a stan Correspondent

TRENTON, Feb. 11.-Assemblyman
William P. Martin, of Essex County,
leader of the House Republican ma
jority and chairman of the judiciary
committee of the lower legislative
branch, attended the hearing on the
Senate public utilities bills yesterday
afternoon as a silent spectator.
In reply to questions as to his views
on the question of public utilities con-
troll and tho merit of the bills now be-
fore the Legislature, the Essex man
dictated a statement that was a bitter
arraignment of the s introduced
in the Senate by Majority Leader
Samuel X. Robbins, of Burlington. and
indorsed in part by Governor Fort.
He compared the Robbins bill with
the bill he has introduced in the House
and the bill introduced in the Senate
J by Senator Everett Colby, of Essex.
He said:
Quotes Party's Platform. !
1.-THE platform of 1907 of the Re-
publican State convention pledges
the party to an excellent and thor
ough- going public utilities bill.
1.-THE Governor states in his in
augural. "A public utilities bill
should be enacted that will meet all
the demands of the most advanced
thought upon governmental regula-
ton of public utility corporations
1.-THE Essex County Republican
platform pledges h Assemblymen
to favor the. enactment of a
statute providing for a railroad and
public utility commission empow-
ering it to regulate and control
rates at uniform, just and reason
able prices, to enforce adequate
service and the adoption of safety
appliances, to regulate capitaliza-
ton, to secure publicity of their
affairs and complete reports of pub
lie utility companies, including
steam and trolley railroads, cleo
trio light, gas. water and telephone
companies, and to provide adequate
means for enforcing generally the
order of the commission.
Bound by PIanks.
THE platform also pledges the
Essex Assemblymen to faithfully
represent the interests of their con-
stituents with progressive and up
to-date ideas, and that they will
pursue a cours of personal inde-
pendence in accordance with the
principles M spirit of a pro-
gressive Republican party
THE Governor, senators from Els
sex and Bergen, assemblymen from
Essex, Bergen n Passaic. and all
Democratic members of the Lcgisla-
ture. and many other Republican
members are pledged absolutely Inc
~irrevocably TO the best and strong
est bill that can be drawn. If they
work tremendously n energetic
ally for the adoption of such legis-
lation it will be sucured, otherwise
it will fail. A Governor. with a
loyal Assembly behind him, can OBJ
tain any reasonable legislation that
popular sentiment demands. in spite
OF any opposition from the other
house.
Lauds Colby Measure.
Senate bill No. II, introduced by
Senator Colby, of Essex County,
and Assembly bill No. 4. introduced
by me are practically Identical. ex-
cept in one or two instances, which
do not relate to the substance of the
provisions of the bills. The bill fol-
lows as nearly as possible, under the
New Jersey constitution, as con-
strued by her courts. and the en-
eral methods of procedure, the
Hughes bill, of New York State,
which was drawn as nearly as pos
slble to conform to the Interstate
Commerce law, thus there would be
no conflict between 1t and the Inter
state Commerce law.
THE Robbins bill, on the other
hand, departs almost entirely from
the Two acts mentioned, and the
courts of New Jersey would, if it
were adopted, be compelled to
plough an entirely new field in de-
termining it's meaning.
1.-THE bill introduced by Senator
Cebhardt is splendid in it's general
provisions. but does not follow the
language of the Hughes bill. and
undoubtedly would lead to consid-
erabe litigation. The Robbins bill
also violates this fundamental prin-
ciple."