Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-15
FIELDER TELLS OF
KEEPING PROMISES
Explains How Democrats
Pledge for Utility Commits
sion Has Worked Out.

TOMS RIVER, Oct. 10. = Wher
Governor James F. Fielder in hi:
campaign through Ocean county
reached the county seat yesterday
afternoon he met up with the Repub.
lican County Committee which was In
session here and also with the grand
jury, which was considering bribery
charges against a prominent mem
Der of that committee. This fact
however. was unknown. to the gov
ernor and he made no reference to
It in his speech.
Governor Fielder's first stop was at
Tuckerton. The governor was ac-
companied. by several automobiles, in
which were the Democratic county
candidates, Frank r. Austin. of
Tuckerton. candidate for senator;
Walter c. Moore, of New Egypt. can
dldate for Assembly. and A. H. Grant.
of Lakewood, the nominee for county
clerk.
Mr.. Fielder talked for more than a
half hour at this place. He again
raked Stokes fore and aft on his rec
ord In the Legislature and as gov
measures; he congratulated Senator
Colby on his frankness and ability,
and stated that he was expecting no
support whatever from the reaction
airy wing of the Democratic party,
whom he classed as in sympathy with
~. -, JDan,,htino n
party. He reiterated the charge that
Governor Stokes was a railroad
man." and was elected a director Of
the West Jersey and Seashore rail-
road, a Pennsylvania railroad sub
sidiary, in 1901-2-3-4 He insisted that
Stokess record was that of reac-
tionary, and quoted from Senator
Colby's speeches again and again to
clinch this point.
Governor Fielder discussed the
principal planks of the Democratic
platform pledges during the past
three years and said they justified
him in guaranteeing the people that
the promises in the present platform
would be kept in both letter and
spirit, while the multitude of unful-
filled promises made year after year
by the Republican party and its can
didates gave an equally good guar
antee that they would only carry out
SO much OF their platform as met the
approval of the interests that 1t has
served so faithfully in the past. The
governor dealt specifically with the
Republican attack on the Public IT'LL
ity Commission and the act under
which it is operated. saying in part:
Attack on Public Utilities.
1.-THE best test Of administrative ef-
ficiency is the result accomplished,
whether 1t be in business or in poll
tics. The Republican party has at
tackled the public utilities act which
| fought for for years and finally saw
come to fruition in the first year of
the Wilson administration. Mr..
Stokes and his party suggest that
this act be amended In way to add
experienced railroad and corporation
men to the commissions force. The
Progressive platform charges extrav-
agance and an expenditure not JUS
titled by the results In the public in
terest.
IT consider the public utilities ACT
was one of the monumental progress
sive statutes of this Democratic adj
ministration. The predecessors of the
present commission, the Railroad
Commission and the Public Utility
Commission under the act of 1910 had
very restricted powers. Their pow
ers consisted largely in the right to
investigate and the right to recon-
mend. This amounted to little more
than the right to scold. Chapter 1876
of the laws of 1911, however. was a
law with teeth in it. 1t conferred
on the commission the right to Ak
just and reasonable rates; to sus-
pend advances in rates made by pub
lie utilities; to control the issue of
securities made by public utilities: to
require of public utilities the render
ing of adequate and proper service
to consumers; to scrutinize and veto
any franchise obtained by a public
utility, where the rights of the pub
lie were not safeguarded; to require
of such companies the keeping of ac-
counts in forms prescribed by the
commission. and the power generally
70 compel all public utilities to avoid
illegal discrimination and to observe
their lawful obligations. On Novem-
Der /. 1918. the commission will have
completed exactly two and one-half
years or service and have saved to
the pubic IIlliliOIlS III SlSClIlCf Bdo anu
telenhone charges.
my reply to the Republican charge
that the commission needs the serv-
ices of railroad and corporation men
of experience is that the commissions
chief inspector of railroads is an ex-
perienced railroad man of long serv-
ice. who rose from the position Of
trainman to be the general superin-
tendent of a great railroad system
and who was for time in charge of
the Grand Central station in the city
of New York"
Millions Saved the Public.
AS the result of the commission's
order to the Public Service Gas Com
pany the rate per thousand cubic
feet of gas was reduced from 81 to
90 cents. Four-fifths of the consum-
ers of gas in this State since May 1
1913. have. obtained their gas at 9t
cents per thousand cubic feet. The
aggregate reduction In price to con-
sumers, as estimated both by the COM
pany and by the commissions experts
will amount yearly to between $900,00(
and $1,000.0o0.
T.o.%or D~sac4 A Teocc