Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-22
MAY UNITE ON
BRADLEY PUBLIC
UTILITIES BILL
Senate Turns Down Egan Meas
ure When introduced
as Amendment.
IOSBORNE'S EFFORT MEETS
WITH PROMPT FAILURE
Camden Mans Measure Slightly
Changed and Ordered
Reprinted.
tFrom a Stan Correspondent.

from a STAFF Correspondent
TRENTON, March 22.-The public
utilities problem is now trying to be
solved by the Senate. 1t is n of the
four classes of legislation that both po-
litical parties are pledged to enact, the
other three being election reform. a
! bility.
The Wilson administration REGARDS
the public utilities proposition next to
election reformation in Importance. The
Wilson-Record clique, In drafting the
Geran bill, also. moulded the Egan utili-
ties measure. Both bills have been
whipped through the House and are
now up TO the Senate. The Edge en-
ployers' liability and the Simpson cor
rupt practises acts will unquestionably
become laws, but the Geran and Egan
bills may not find such easy ailing in
the upper house.
Oppose Egan Measure.
The Eagn bill, say the Republican
senator's, and they are in the majority,
will never be accepted by the Senate.
Under the guise of an Osborne substi-
tute to the Bradley utilities bill the
Eagn measure was tried on the p
house just before adjournment late
yesterday afternoon. 1t was defeated,
y to Z. the Republicans voting solidly
against it.
Favor Bradley Substitute.
The Bradley substitute. in reality a
committee substitute for all public
utilities bills Row pending, is the only
n that the Senate will listen to. Fol-
lowing a lengthy discussion and a few
slight amendments it was ordered re-
printed and to have a third reading.
The question of utilities was made a
special order. Osborne said he was
convinced that it would be impos-
sible to amend the old or present
law so hat it would meet the popular
demand of the people of the State. He
could not understand why the whole
matter should not be treated in a new
bill. To this the objection of the Re-
publicans to this method of treatment
would probably be that a new bill
would create a new commission. He
would not quarrel with the Senators
who held to his view. It was prob
ably sufficient for them that the old
commissioners should be retained in
office. The Bradley substitute did not
accomplish what a public utilities bill
should because it did not give the
commissioners the power to enforce its
orders, he argued. The substitute was
evidently a sop intended to meet a de-
mand for an efficient act. The sub
stitute contained some good features,
bu the vital one of enabling the COM
mission to enforce its orders had been
omitted, he insisted.
Bradley Defends His Bill.
Bradley, advocating the bill, said
that it had been the general policy of
the Legislature to do just what had
been done by the committee substitute.
He said that the bill was more drastic
in some respects than any yet pre-
sented. If the bill didn't properly pro-
vide for the enforcement of the com
missions orders he was in favor of
Incorporating a provision that would.
1t would De unfair to leglSlate the
present commission out of office in the
way which had been proposed.
Frelinghuysen said that he thought
the commission had the power to COM
pei respect for its orders. Osborne re-
minded the Senator from Somerset that
1t was only by mandamus or injunction
process h the commission could conf
pei obedience to it's orders. In his
original argument Mr.. Osborne said he
had shown that the retention of the
present commissioners could be pro-
vided for in the act.
Bradley said that in his estimation
the commission would have under tht
substitute general powers to enforce
obedience to its orders. In fact, 1t al
ready had that power, he thought, but
if it hadn't let 1t be incorporated II
the substitute. Their orders were nov
obeyed.
Osborne admitted that this was so
but asked how long would obedience
continue II it should be opposed.
Silzer said that 1t would be impos
sible to recover any but a liked sun
In an action of debt, but a section II
the substitute was making 1t possible