Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-06-17
Commuters Puzzled Over
Forts Apparent Indif-
ference to Appeals.
GOVERNOR STILL MUM
OVER SPECIAL SESSION
Railroad Patrons Believe, How.
ever, He Will Keep Promise !,
and Furnish Relief.


The commuters of New Jersey arerin
a state of unrest
They have urged Governor John
Franklin Fort to call special session
of the Legislature to enact laws that
will prevent the increased railroad
rates from going into effect on July /.
They still have hope that the Gov
ernor will stick to his promise that
he would act when public seuffment
was thoroughly aroused"
The commuters-say loo. fs<hem-s
have Joined in the protest that has
swept the State.
The Governor alone has the-power TO
reconvene the Legislature.
Chapter of article of the Stats
constitution reads:
4srhe governor shall have power to
convene the Legislature, or the Senate
alone, whenever In his opinion public
necessity requires 1t, he shall communi-
cate by message to the Legislature at
the opening of each sessaon, and at
sary, the condition of tho stntes and
recommend such measures as no may
deem expedient"
The commuters believe that the gov
ernor should not hesitate to. form an
opinion, II he has not already done SO,
that public necessity requires 1t" at
the present critical time.
wide Appeal for Relief.
The commuters, mayors OF munich
palities, civic organizations and the
general public have appealed directly
to the senators and assemblymenAdndi-
vidualiy.
President Taft has been appealed to-
Attorneys General wickersham has
been asked to take legal steps to stop
the railroad abuses.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
has received many complaints from the
Jersey commuters.
The Commuters League of New Jer-
sey has appealed to New Jerseys rep
resentatives in the Senate and House Of
Representatives at Washington.
In fact the commuters have reached
out in every possible direction with
their appeal for relief.
/! The Federal authorities are unable
to solve any of the railroad problems
till the railroad law becomes law,
and that may not happen till after the
new rates go into effect in New Jersey.
Legislation Only Salvation.
The people of the State can be pro-
tected if the New Jersey Legislature
should be reconvened in extra session
and the public utilities law amended
by the passage of a rate-mal1ing clause.
The State Railroad Commission,
which began an investigation INTO the
railroad questions. will not sit again
till June "a.
Nothing can be accomplished In the
way of relieving the commuters situa-
ton. no matter what the commission
should unearth at it's hearings.
The Governor may be waiting upon
the State Railroad Commission before
announcing his decision, but the inn
patient commuters cannot understand
why another whole week. should be al
lowed to pass before the extra session
is called.
Governor Fort today refused to state
whether or mot he had made up his
mind to issue the call next week or
at any other time. His promise to the
commuters was: Anything that can
do that is right and necessary I will
do. II you are to get legislation you
must organize and stick to it-fight and
fight hard"
Commuters Appeal to Congress.
Uncertain whether Governor Fort will
call a special session of the Legislature.
the Commuters League of New Jersey.
through It's president, Howard Mar
shall, appealed to New jerseys repre-
sentatives in the United States Senate
and Congress. The league has already
appealed to President Taft. kilograms
were forwarded to United States Sem
ators John Kean and Frank o. Briggs.
and to Congressman Parker and Wiley.
The following telegram was sent to
Attorney General Wickersham
aOn behalf of 100000 commuters OF
New Jersey, can you not, by proper
legal process, restrain Eastern railroads
from putting into operation proposed
advance I'm passenger railroad ratess
Immediate action requested.
CONSUMERS LEAGUE OF NEW
JERSEY.
oBy Howard Marshall, President"
The telegram sent to the Senator'S
and representatives reads as follows
sWiII you please take some imme-
diate action In behalf of 100000 COM
muters of your state to effect an agree-
ment by Eastern railroads to suspend
proposed advance in passenger railroad
rates until justice and prOpriety of same
can be properly determined by Inter
state Commerce ComimssiOns We ask
you TO take matter up immediately with
the President, attorney-generaI and
Senators from New Jersey I'm conferences
ty.f. -
await your answer, stating what you
have done.
COMMUTERS LEAGUE OF NEW
JERSEY.
ABy Howard Marshall, President"
"The people Of New Jersey will now
have the opportunity of seeing how
well they are represented. according to