Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-19
UTILITIES BILL
LEADS CONFEREES
IN DEEP WATER
Committee Trying Hard to
Frame a Workable, Con-
stitutiOnal Law.
CONFERENCE ANXIOUS
TO COMPLETE WORK
Would Like to Refer Entire Mat
ter Back to Legis-
e lature.
TFrorn a stan oorrespon4.nt. !

TRENTON, April 19.-The troubles of
the public utilities bill are not over yet.
All reports to the contrary, the joint
conference committee is in deep water,
and in this case, as usual, stiil water
runs deep.
One of the committee, who has been
influential in trying to shape UP this
legislation SO that it would come some
where near being workable law, said
this morning that it was not fair or
truthful to say that the committee had
reached a final agreement o. the bills
they were appointed to consider.
There were some parts of the partly
finished bill, he said, that needed and
must have further consideration and
improvement before 1t would pass con-
stitutional muster.
vexfng Problem.
There is no doubt of the veracity of
the statement that public utilities has
been one of the most trying and vex-
ing problems that the Legislature has
had to confront. The frequent and
growing irritability of some Of the
members of the committee is paralleled
with their anxiety to have done with
the consideration of this subject.
It can be said, without exaggeration,
that some of the committee would be
glad TO turn the whole matter oack to
the two branches of the Legislature in
its first form and let them work 1t uut
and earn their salvation by getting
rxy{fI xvff ha ~
violation of an important part of the
decalogue.
Many OFFER Help.
From the moment that the confer
ence held it's initial meeting there has
been constantly manifest the desire by
dozens of men who are interested OF
disinterested. from different and SIM
liar points OF view, to put experienced
fingers in the pie. The testimony in
been that at Trenton on the part CT
certain conspicuous interests to lend the
committee a helping hand in perfectins
this most important bill.
Some of these experts have been even
willing to do ALI the work on it them
selves and let the committee go smoke
and mediate upon their incapacity to
be all things to all men, and inciden-
tally to please everybody in particular
and nobody in general.
This disposition to aid the committee
may have been made with the best of
motives; but If IT. has that saving con-
dition it certainly has been the source
and means of great annoyance, so
great that it has caused some warm
comment that would not be literally
news that's fit to print.
However. there are indications this
morning which seem to be trustworthy
that If the committee can find some
place of concealment for themselves
where they may work without interrupt
tion for two or three hours they will
be able to make a satisfactory COM
promise measure and present it to the
Legislature before sundown today.
Bradley, saying that he wished to be
absent this afternoon, requested that a
senator be appointed in his place to act
with the conference COMMITTEES on pub
lie utilities, which will hold another
meeting this afternoon.
Senator Gaunh a member of the con-
ference committee Of public utilities,
SAID tnal he Wouiu not conSsnL 10 act
alone on the part Of the Senate at the
afternoon conference OF the committee.
He hoped Bradley could be persuaded
to remain and act in his usual ca
pacity.
President Alderman appointed Prince
to act in the place of Bradley at the
conference of the joint committee on
public utilities this afternoon.