Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-16
STOKES ADECE|VER,
FIELDER DECLARES
Governor, in Newton Speech
Says G. o. P. Candidate Is
Resorting to Ambiguity.

opened wide its arms to welcome Gov
ernor Fielder yesterday, and his tour
of the county. touching many towns
and hamlets, was one continuous ova-
ton. The candidate was accompanied
by Prosecutor Dunn, of Passaic
county; State Committeeman Tiff and
other prominent men of the party in
the county. In his address to a large
meeting here last night the Governor
resumed his attack upon the Republi-
cans and former Governor Stokes for
the stand they have taken in their
platform on the public utilities
question.
There is no plank in the Republi-
interest or provoked more discussion
than the public utilities plank" said
the Governor. 1T declares for the en-
largement and extension of the work
of the Public Utilities Commission by
the appointment of practical railroad
men to act as inspectors and to report
and advise with the commission in all
matters pertaining to the regulation
of railroad problems There is some
thing very mysterious connected with
this recommendation, and its meaning
is by no means clear. Perhaps 1t was
Intentionally put in an ambiguous
manner. Mr.. Stokes proceeds to in
terpret it in letter recently given
to the press. He says that it was
written into the platform at the re-
quest of various organizations of rail-
road employees, who desired that the
Public Utility Commission should
select engineers, conductors, brake
men, firemen and baggagemasters to
act as inspectors for and advisers to
the commission. This is denied in
toto by the legislative board of these
organizations.
at is certainly to the interest of
these organizations to see that their
trains are properly equipped with
safety appliances and to look after
any other matters that are of in
terest to them, but they have never
indicated their desire to insist upon
representatives taking part in prob
lens of general regulation.
Device to Catch Vote.
"Why, for instance, are they need
ed in connection with the issuing of
securities, in establishing a uniform
system of accounts, in avoiding il
legal determinations, in the granting
of permission to lease, in the pur-
chase of property, or in permitting
mergers? l am not convinced that
this was the intention of the plank
in question. But if it was, then it
was a device to catch some votes
by fooling the organizations that are
said to have suggested it, for the
commission already has the power
to appoint nen of the class men
toned as it's inspectors, and has ex-
ercised that power. The commission
has in it's employ as chief inspector
man who has passed through all
the grades of practical railroad eX-
perience, from brakeman to the SUI
perintendency of one of our New
Jersey railroads. 1t has another in
spector who was a locomotive engi-
neer, and still another who was
civil engineer in railroad employ.
Mr.. Stokes is too clever a man
not to know these facts, and Nit
would, therefore, seem that the mean
ing he ascribes to this plank is not
the meaning 1t was originally in
tended to have. On it's face it is
bid for the support of the railroads
themselves, and it is intended that
the railroads will suggest their SUI
perintendents, managers, directors or
other high officials, and that Mr..
Stokes. should he be elected COVER
Will dppOlill lliclll II lilSy oiC
to be a special class of Investigators
and advisers, different from those
now provided by law, then it must
be intended that their conclusions
and reports shall be binding upon
the commission, otherwise there
could be no sense in recommending
what is already provided for, for their
advice, without binding force, would
be valueless.
1.-THE fact is that Mr.. Stokes was
never in sympathy with this legisla-
ton. At no time while he was Gov
ernor did he lend his aid to the enact
ment of any legislation of this kind.
l know that he points with pride to
the establishment, under his admin
istration, of a railroad commission,
but that commission had no power
over any other public utility corpora
ton. In fact, 1t had no power what
ever. 1t had only the right to inves-
tigate complaints against the rail-
roads and to make recommendations
to the companies. but 1t had no power
to enforce it's recommendations and
the act was soon repealed. Mr.. Stokes
was succeeded by Governor Fort.
whose opinion as to the efficacy of
this railroad commission act and the
failure to pass a proper public utili-
-
'Bossism is the serious political
problem of our time. Why
is it necessary that we should have
bosses in the respective counties of
the State? Why should not the peo-
pie rule? Is it possible that the rest
of us do not know enough to vote in
diligently unless we are told. and
that our representatives at Trenton
and in city affairs must have boss
to tell them what they can or can
not do? = Those men do not
hesitate to say when certain legisla-
ton is pending, relieving the people
pass this bill where are we going to
get our money for political pur-
poses?" I thoroughly believe
in a reasonable public utilities bill,
with authority to regulate. on COM
nlaint, all public-serving corporations.
Those corporations are creatures of
the State. They have not single
right except such as the State gives
them. They all make their money by
State favor.
eve must not let the creature be
greater than its creator. 1t is the
power of regulation that advocate:
but they will not permit even an ex-
tension of the jurisdiction of the pres
emit railroad commission of the State
TO the public-serving corporations.
There should be some power some
where to reach and cure abuses to
prevent issuance of stock or bonds
except upon approval: to prevent the
making of enormous fortunes out of
public franchises which come from
the people-eyery advantage under
which should accrue to the people.
There should be no more
enormous fortunes built up in New
Jersey at the expense of the public
service under franchises granted by
the. state. A public utilities commits
r'or would regulate and control all
this"