Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1912-04-15
SENATOR PIERCE
ASSA|LS WILSON
Issues Statement in Which He
Points Out Inconsistencies
of Governor.
CROSSING BILL VETO
is ROUNDLY SCORED
Scion Quotes from Speech of
Executive to Prove That
He Erred.
Especial to the Newark star.I


CRAWFORD, April Ex-senator
Pierce today issued statement IN
which he sharply criticises Governor
Wilson for vetoing the grade-crossing
bill, and at the same time shows
wherein the Governor was inconsist-
ent He says the Governor has vetoed
a bill which met the Democratic cam
paign platform pledges. ut turns out"
he says, that the Republicans have
kept their word. 1t remains to be
seen how far the Governor will keep
his"
Senator Pierce's statement is as fol-
lows
by vetoing the grade-crossing bill
Governor Wilson has done all that lies
in his power to defeat the effort of
me Legislature to compel the rail
roads to perform their charter obiga-
tons.
The Bill as Passed.
THE bill is drawn upon the lines of
the Connecticut law, which has been
in successful operation since 1888, and
was reenacted last year by the Con-
necticut Legislature, amended in its
mandatory clause to secure more
rapid rate of yearly progress.
"The bill meets the Democratic pledge
by placing the subject completely in
the hands of the Utilities Board. 1t
meets the Republican pledge by pro-
viding that the elimination shall be
gradual, at railroad expense, in the
order of necessity, and at reasonable
yearly rate of progress.
THE provision placing the expense
upon the railroads is in conformity
with the charter obligations to con-
II. md
sufficient bridges or passages over or
under the said railroad, where any
public or other road now or hereafter
laid. shall cross the same. so that
passages of carriages, horses and cattle
on the said road shall not be impeded
thereby
sHisstatement has been made that the
bill requires the elimination of all
crossings upon all roads, without ref
erence to varying conditions. Nothing
could be further from the truth. By
cxpress terms no elimination be
compelled in any case under the man
datory clause otherwise until as to
ench case the Utilities Board after a
hearing adjudicates that public safety
requires 1t.
1.-THE principle of public safety is
applied to every situation, and pro-
duces equitable results. 1t properly let's
out the small roads, and the non-dan-
gerous crossings on the large ones
1.-THE sanity and reasonableness of
the bill are established by its success
full operation in Connecticut, where
conditions are substantially similar to
the conditions in New Jersey.
Governor Wilson's Objections.
nf
is elusive. 1t is very difficult to find
definite statement. After study l find
three;
~. That the bill does not forbid the
creation of new crossings.' the fact
being that such law, signed by the
governor last year, is already upon the
statute books.
..2. That 1t does not attempt any
classification of those already in exist
.nce,' the fact being that this Is a de-
tail of importance, but is neces-
sarily implied In the duty placed upon
the Utilities Board TO determine the
order of danger.
''3. That the mandatory clause requir-
ing each road to eliminate given
numbe- o. crossings yearly "seeks to
accomplish an impossible thing
This is the main statement in the
message, and there are two answers
one, that the experience of Connecticut
proves precisely the contrary, and,
second, that this impossible thing is
the precise plan recommended by the
National Association of Railway Com
missioners, the best experts in the
country upon the subject, at their
twenty third annual convention held
Il. l.. TnE~
port of the committee on grade cross
ings is in this language:
1--WE believe that as to grade separa-
ton we should renew our efforts to
have the Legislatures of our respective
States pass a law requiring that each
railroad operating therein should be re-
quired TO eliminate given number of
grade crossings each year. and at such
points as the commission having au-
thority in such States shall direct
This is precisely what the pending
bill does. The report continues with
recommendation that the expense be
apportioned, but upon this point New
Jersey is differentiated from her sister
States by the charter provisions already
referred to.
."Fhe above constitute the governors
objections to the bill. They are plainly
Inadequate. Discussing the matter fur
ther, the governor recommends en-
Iargement of the powers of the UtiIi-
ties Board-the precise thing accom-
plIshed In the pending biII-the law to
perInit an apportionment of the ex-
pcnse.
I'm answer to this latter recommen-
dation, quote from the speech made
by the Governor at Elizabeth October
l9 last. He first criticised the RepubIi-
cans, sayir
The Republican platform pledges
the party to abolish all grade crossings
at the expense of the railways Do
they Ghe men who wrote the platform)
want you to believe that they are going