Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-06-20

The encouragement at WaSninBtOu
was at first inclined to belittle the com-
muters grievances. He looked upon
the question as merely local affair
and expressed the opinion that 1t should
be dealt with locally. by the State
Legislature. for instance. So important
a part did New Jersey play in the conn
muters' fight. along with New York
and Connecticut that the attorneys
general was forced to change his atti-
tude. and the Commuters League OF
New Jersey figures in the foreground
of the commuters battle Formal APP
plication has already been made to tho
Interstate Commerce Commission, and
now the State authorities are combin-
ing to register an official kick that with
take in all of the railroads.
Because of the short time that re-
mains before the new rates go into
effect the people and their representa-
tives, now depending solely upon the
Federal commission, are wasting no
time in properly presenting their side
of the case. The increased rates on
all the railroads were to go into ef-
feet on July l. but there is every rea-
son now to believe that the commis-
sion will call halt. II the commis-
sion orders the suspension no new rates
can be fixed by the railroads except
after investigation and by consent OF
the commission. With the new sched-
ules being suspended the real battle
will then come.
The commuters of New Jersey, i'm
dividually and collectively, should
spare no effort to bring pressure upoa
the commission. The several munici-
palities and civic organizations should
join with the State forces in urging
the commission in favor of the de-
sired action. Any of the municipa1-
tiles can bring complaint directly to
the commission, but concerted protest,
| 1t Is believed, will be more effective tn
getting results. The statute permits
any of the municipalities to take their
grievance to the Federal commission,
but does not permit them to appro-
pirate funds to carry on the fight.
There is much talk of raising general
fund with which to fight against the
railroad abuses.
Frank Sommers Talks.
Frank H. Sommer. president OF the
State Railroad Commission. in talking
to an EVENING STAR man today
said:
THE Railroad Commission, from the
outset, knew the best course to pursue
to give the public relief. The commis-
sion has been accused of confessing ita
inability to properly solve the rate prob
lem. We realized that on all questions
of an interstate character that they
came within the Jurisdiction OF the In
terstate Commerce Commission, and
that we had no control of them. Ac-
cordingly, we separated the complaints
of the commuters. Those that referred
to the rates of railroads from points in
New Jersey to New York city we re-
ferred to the federal commission and re-
tanned only those that were purely
within the State.
How far the State commission can
go towards relieving the commuters'
situation is a matter for future deter-
mination. The State commission can
recommend to the Legislature certain
conditions that are found to exist. The
commuters troubles will be given
proper consideration, no doubt. by the
federal commission. So far as the call
| ing of special session is concerned,
am free to state that IL the Legislature
was reconvened for the purpose of clear
ing the decks for action by the federal
commission, 1t would be good thing.
What's going to happen at Washington
where the New Jersey commuters com-
plants are being considered? The In
terstate Commerce Commission. in in
quiring into the commuters trouble&
are going to discover that the LegislR-
ture has permitted the railroads ~
charge three cents a mile for their pes
sengers Isn't it going to be rather
hard In the face of that statute for the
people to show that the new rates arc
unreasonable? That statute should be
repealed, and speedily. too in order to
give the federal commission no excuse
in favor of the railroads
THAT may be Governor Forts idea