Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-06-09
Governor to Announce
Decision Tomorrow
After Seeing Wilson.
EXECUTIVE SAID TO FAVOR
CALLING BACK LEGISLATURE
Republican Leaders in Quandary
as Commuters Demand
Raise Be Baked.

"Will the Legislature be reconvened
for the purpose of enacting laws topre-
vent the railroads from increasing the
communication rates?"
This all-absorbing question will be
answered tomorrow by Governor John
Franklin Fort, who alone has thespower
to start the relief ball rolling.
The Governor. who is spending much
of his time at Spring Lake. announced
today that he was going to Trenton to-
morrow to confer with Attorney Gem
eral Edmund Wilson for that express
purpose.
There is every reason to believe that
the chief executive will call a special
session of the lawmakers and put the
responsibility of giving the public
remedial legislation up to them.
Why should the Governor hesitate
when it is plainly evident that nine
tenths of the people,of New Jersey are
demanding relief?
There is nothing to be hoped from
the powerless State Railroad Commis-
question the railroad officials.
The people of New Jersey aresnot sat-
isfied to await the uncertain Issue at
Washington.
Realizing that there is little, to be
hoped for in the shape rof Immediate
relief from the Interstate Comn,erce
Commission. the people turn to the
State authorities.
If the latter do their whole. duty. the
peoples interests will be protected.
Bitter PHI for G. o. r. Chiefs.
Predictions are that within ten days
the legislators will be ,sittingsin extra
ordinary session. It will besa bitter Dill
for the Republican State leaders to
swallow, but they must play ball or get
off the field. The Governor, in calling
a special session. will. of course. point
out. in a special message, the necessity
for amending the public utilities law
by passing rate-making clause.
From the outset the Governor has
favored rate-making power being in
vested in the Public Utilities Commis-
sion. The commuter vote in New Jer-s
sey is controlling factor and with the
campaign staring them in the face, the
Republican leaders are in a quandary.
An exigency of politics forced the en-
dCIInenI OF tn6 w WdkGl6os apology IOT q
public utilities law.
Public sentiment now demands an i'm
provement on that cheap compromise
law. Failure to rectify the blunder will
result disastrously to the majority Lead
ers, who are now striving to continue
their political existence.
The Governor, in signing sthesWa Walzelee
bill, on March "a. predicted that the
fiuoa wouId aOoO emma xvhar1 ffa fyY,..
provement would be demanded. The
railroads. by their ownsarbitrary meth
DDS. have hurried along that period, and
today the whole State is aroused. The
cry of the people is echoed by a major
ity of the lawmakers, prominent men
in both political parties coming out
strongly in favor of a specfahsession-
Railroads Protectors.
The Republican guardians arex dctng
their utmost to protect the railroads
They want to prevent the Governor
from calling a special session. Senator
Edmund w. Wakelee. of Bergen,
author of the inadequatesuti1ifies law.
is fighting hard againststhe speciak see-
sion movement. He fully realizes
what it means.
He successfully blocked thegpassaGa
of any bill for the regulattonRofs publ1u
utilities in 1907, 1908 and 1909. The
political guardians realize that a
special session means the substitution
of law or laws for the public utilities
statute that will confer unQuestionable
authority to deal effectively with the
rate question
Senator George S. Silzer. of MiddIe-
sex, puts the question of relief from
railroad oppression squarely up to the
Republican party and its Legislative
guardians He declares special ses-
sion to be vital, and stated that he had
written Governor Fort urging him to
convene the lawmakers. He says,
among other things
I do not believe in unjustly attacking
railroads: they are entitled to as fair and
honest treatment as the individual.
would resent unjust attack on them as
quickly as one on an Individual
But we find now that, apparently arbi-
trarily and as a result of a joint agreement.
the rates are being raised to a point where
1T is a serious matter for those compelled
to commute.
And what are you going to do about itf
The railroads say. These are our rail-