Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-07-01
June II. vol said:

If you had shown half the inter-
est in this matter last fall that you
now show you could have had In
New Jersey a law which would
have,prevented amy change of rates
without first securing the approval
of a public utilities commission"
And again:
s'If, 1 may be pardoned, I also
take some delight In the fact that
I have warned you of the POSSIBLE
ity of just such a condition arising
as this, but you have preferred to
let your representatives misrepre-
sent you and not pass proper leg
islation because the corporate in
terests did not wish It,"
And again:
Nov you are voicing your views
and If you will keep on for a few
days public sentiment will make
itself so felt that there will be no
uncertainty about the popular de-
mand."
Further on in your speech you
said:
.If you are to get legislation you
must organize and stick at it-fight
and fight hard. A special session
of the Legislature would do you no
good If you stop your work. l think
I know the situation in Trenton
better than you do, and If a special
session of the Legislature were
called today you would get, I fear,
little if any good from it unless
you show what the public senti-
ment really is before the special
session is called, and organize and
go to Trenton, demanding that o
shall be given what you ask after
1t is called"
Filled Hearts with Hope.
Your address on hat occasion
filed the hearts of the people with
hope. We believe that the public
sediment which you mention has
demonstrated what is needed. what
the people demand. We urge tina
you peruse the minutes of the
House of Assembly and the jour-
nal of the Senate for the last ses-
sion, Part 10. There you will see
how both branches divided upon the
question of rate regulation, which
was put up to the Senators and
Assemblymen no less than, flour
times. We pray you that the petit
ton of the people may not be in
vain, that before n more precious
s1ass and AtFe railroads put
reases ITO effect, the Leg
eJcoEened and the oppor-
~ to those legislators
q keep the pledges made
Hople in three campaigns,
Em their word.
hre ready and willing to vote
copper public utilities bill. We
10 iyou and to the people of
Jersey our promise that If the
k~fsiature is we will
mt once the bill known as
tho MnrtIn-SuIlivnn n md
vote to pass 1t without amy delay.
1t Is argued that a special session
would be an expense. We are ready
to pass a bill without any delay.
There is no necessity for the Isegis-
ffhturc remaining I'm session more
than Two days at the outside. Long
drawn out debate is unnecessary.
No man cnn claim Ignorance Of this
subject. Expense Il a poor excuse.
The fact that 1t ilercIy an excuse
eliminates It rome Snsideration ex-
ccpt as 1t must b. charged up to
the men whose failure to keep their
personal and party pledges makes
a special session necessary.
Changes Necessary.
1t might be necessary to make
some changes in the draft of the
.pssblic utilities bill that we have
urged at recent sessions, but all
that could be taken care of before
the formal session opens. We would
want to be very certain that every
detail of authority necessary to
handle the present crisis in New
Jersey was covered.
May we ask that you will permit
us to invite your attention to this
extract from your last annual mes
sage:
In my inaugural address and
first annual message the creation of
a public utilities commission, with
ample powers to regulate public
utility corporations. vas recon-
mended. This recommendation was
in line with the pledges made to
the people of the State by both
political parties in their respective
conventions in 1907. ]
THE opposition to such Iegisla-
ton emanates solely from inter-
ested sources and corporations
which control the franchises for
public utility purposes. If the
people of the State could fully
realize the character of the inhu-
exerted to defeat this be-
legislation or could be
brought to fully appreciate the adj
vantages which would accrue to
them under it, the result would not
be doubtful. !
Sat the present time there is alb
solutely nc control. in any authori-
tatiye way, over the public-serving
corporations of this State. If they
give good service, well; If poor. the
people are without remedy. If they
for gas or electric light, or
for telephone or express matter,
excessively, there is nc place to