Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-06-03
PIERCE DEFENDS
G. 0. I. FROM FARE
RAISING ATTACK
Union Co. A~ssembIyman Takes
Exception to w. P. Mar
tins Public Letter.
DECLARES SITUATION is
NOT FAIRLY STATED
No Ground Whatever, He Claims,
for Statement Concerning
McCran's Action.

Union county, takes exception to GER
tain statements made in h public let
ter of William P. Martin, the Progress
sives' gubernatorial candidate. which
was exclusively printed in the STAR
on Tuesday. He endeavors to correct
what he characterizes as "misappre-
tensions of fact and law appearing in
Mr.. Martins statement"
Mr.. Pierce makes a special point of
that section of the Martin statement
which said that "Assemblyman Nc
Gran, of Passaic, last winter tried to
shame his fellow partisans in the
Legislature for failing to keep party
pledges. relative to the enactment of
adequate public utilities legislation.
Mr.. Pierce, who was the father of
one of the side-tracked utilities bills.
evidently overlooked the correction
that was made in the STAR on We'd
nesday morning, in which it was ex-
planned that Mr.. McCran used the word
excuse and not Shame"
Mr. Pierce's letter follows:
Assemblyman Pierce's Letter.
SRI would not enter the lists to
correct the misapprehensions of fact
and law appearing in Mr.. Martins re-
cent public statement printed in your
columns last Tuesday but for my in
terest in the utilities legislation passed
last winter and Mr.. Martins special
attack upon the legislation and gen.
orally upon the Republican party.
I There is q difference, affording just,
ground of criticism, between a candi-
6acy for governor based upon the adj
vocacy of specified principles and one
4 Ina cnd IIpnn attack IInnn the nartv-
either through alleging faults hat do
not exist or the failure, to state fairly
achievements that do.
First-According to the STAR, Mr..
Martin blames the Republican party
for the recent increase in railroad
rates, insisting that the increase would
be an impossibility under a prope
Utilities Law
The text of his statement upon the
5oint is this:
Had the Martin public utilities law
,een enacted in 1908, thousands of resi-
tents of this State would not find
themselves the victims of rate increases
without redress, when their resources
are already stretched to the breaking
& point by the conditions that are pour
ag millions into the laps of the men
Tho are manipulating the railroad
ates.'
Passing the ~socialistic character of
lis utterance, h position taken is I'M
nable upon the merits. Doubtless 80
sr cent. of the recent increase in fares,
nd all the disaffection about it that Is
of seque is over the commute
ion and other rates to New York.
Such traffic is plain interstate traffic,
As within the jurisdiction of the Inter-
- - AnnroiaGfnn which NV
amendment in 1906 is given in express
terms the power to fix rates, and any
in New Jersey today who Is
dissatisfied with his rate to New York
or Philadelphia has a present right of
,edress. and a present right to try the
,estien out, simply by making proper
bplication to the Interstate Commerce
commission. Moreover, not only Is
,ere this present right of redress, but
ither the passage of the Martin utili-
es bill, nor any Legislation that New
,rsey could enact, could affect the
uestion, for nothing done by the Leg
Ilature could affect any circumstance
/, interstate
"Criticism Misplaced"
So far, then, as blame is sought to be
,laced upon the Republican party for
he recent increase in communication
rates or criticism is attempted in that
connection for not passing the Martin
bill, it is totally misplaced.
Second-Equally unfortunate is Mr..
Martins statement o Assembly,
man McCran.
Mr.. Martin says: when the Wake
lee law was passed McCran, of Passaic,
arose in his place in the Assembly and
~apologized for the measure and its de-
fciency in the matter Of rate-making
power. He made a speech in
which he tried to shame his fellow leg
islators for failing to live up to the
party promise of 1907"
There is no foundation at all for this
statement. Mr.. McCran can well take
care of himself, and will doubtless do
so. but I may say 1 listened with pleas
ure to his speech, and that 1t was WITH
out apology of any description, n was
instead a vigorous advocacy OF the
pending bill.
Third-But passing these ~accurac
of law and fact, I reach my main point
of criticism of Mr.. Martins statement
which is his attitude toward the Re
publican party and it's achievements as