Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1910-07-01
ALL DEMOCRATIC
LEGISLATORS ASK
FORT FOR SESSION
Representatives of Million Peo-
pie Demand Quick
Action.
MANY S0LONS RALLY TO
HELP COMMUTERS FIGHT
Unanimously Agree TO Assist in
Enacting Laws to Control
Railway Rates.

The Democratic senators and assem-
blymen of the State of New Jersey to.
day unanimously petitioned Governor
Fort to call special session Of the
Legislature to enact laws that viii
remedy the railroad evils that prevail
by reason of the increase Of passenger
tariffs.
The Democratic legislators, represents
ing more than a million people, promise
the Governor support in the enactment
of adequate public utilities legislatioxI
The petition is a sgong, cona<raSun
argument in favor imme
by the State to pre3kpt
from extorting an increA
rates that is conservative
viii exceed 100000 year
The full text of the petition
Hon. John Franklin Fort,
Of the State of New Jersey
Dear Sir.
AS the elected representative.
more than million of the people
the State. We respectfully urge that
you cali the Legislature together in
extraordinary session to enact
necessary laws to protect our con-
sIituents from the prohibitive rail-
road rates that have been agreed
upon by the men who are able u1-
der our present statutes to control
the prices Of all public utilities. as
Well as the necessities of life.
We would cal to your attention
that, despite sinoere efforts that
you and thoa Eou have called to
your assistance have made in the
last month, it has been impossible
to prevent the increased railroad
! rates from becoming operative in
the case OF the Erie railroad, an
that the other four railroads i
volved have consented" only I
suspend their increases until Jul
20, while there is hopeless inues4l
cation 10 determine tlss authority OF
the Interstate Commerce Commis-
/ sion.
Millions from the People.
Perhaps you are not aware that
the Erie alone will take from the
commuters and the travelling public
of northern New Jersey a quarter
of million dollars more per year
under the new schedule than under
| the old. The increase in rates of the
other railroads will mean an addi-
ton of four hundred thousand dol
lars annually TO the burdens of the
residents of New Jersey who are
employed in New York City.
1t is needless to tell you that we
need legislation. We have heard
your message read in the House Of
Assembly and in the Senate cham
Der for three years. You have
1 pleaded with the Legislature to en-
act law that would empower a
State commission to regulate rates
1 for all public utilities. You have
reminded us that the question was
treated in the State platforms Of
both parties in 1907, and that we as
Legislators stood committed to the
enactment of a genuine law.
With due modesty we would in
vite your attention to our records
! on this question. We have voted in
accordance with the demands Of the
people and with the pledges made
by our party to enact q law Great
ing public utilities commission
with authority to fix rates and en-
force its orders.
Unfortunate for the People.
Unfortunately for the people OF
New Jersey a majority of the meYzi-
bers of the Senate in 1903 and 1903
refused to stand for any pubic
utilities legislation. insisting that
there should be no rate regulation
in New Jersey. You viii remember
that your demands for rate regu-
lation and the passage by the House
of a bill providing clearly for such
rate-regulating power were met
with hostility by the conservative
gentlemen, who, as you have since
pointed out. have been dominated
by the corporate or ''the boss
which amounts to the same thing
You have said months ago that
the so-called public utilities law
passed this year does not keep the
pledge of the majority party, be-
cause it does not provide for rate
regulation or the enforcement OF
orders In accepting it you stated
that it must be strengthened and
supplements and amendments
passed before it would be all that
was demanded to meet the con-
ditions OF today. You referred to
the law as the best that could be
gotten at the time and called it
something, to get the name
Public Utilities Commission'' WRIT
ten into the statutes
In your speech at East Orange on
l