New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-10
Head of Stevens Institute
Wants Them Instead
of Politicians.
HE ALSO PREFERS
THEM TO LAWYERS
Trained Men Needed to Supervise
Public Utilities, He
Tells Alumni.

Or. Alexander c. Humphreys, president
OF stevens Institute. addressing meet
Ing OF alumni in the college auditorium
AT Hoboken Yesterday afternoon. asserted
that the engineering profession should be
adequately represented on all public SER
vice commissions by men educated In the
science Of engineering and later trained IN
the hard school OF experience. The per-
sonnet OF public service commissions "
Humphreys declared. was far from sa'i
factory for reasons other than the lack
Of members possessing knowledge OF en-
sineerlng.
DR. Hurphrevs spoke at the first an
nual meeting Of Stevens Alumni CiuDs.
Fully five hundred graduates from al
parts Of the country were present ineS
applauded vociferously.
81 hold" said DR.. Humphreys 'na'
commission or any one government "u
thority should not be placed in once 10
exercise the three functions OF govern
ment which. according to our Dill Vi
rights should be kept separate ana u's-
t,,,ct from each other-namely, the legis-
,a+,ve the executive and the judicial. IL
we are to allow this form or COVER "'''e'''
10 continue let us cease to claim that our
form of government is OF the people, io'
the people and by the people.
or am glad to acknowledge that the
general tendency Of public service CUM
missions is TO discourage destructive CUM
rotition" he continued. But the arsu-
,,e,,ts that can be advanced In favor oi
rac,latin., public utilities do not serve 10
s,,nnort the recent tendency toward the
-og,,lation Of all business, which seems 10
he quietly but steadily gaining grounu'
The success Of a public service con''i','
sion the sneaker said, depended upon inc
nArsonnel of the officials. 1t was areueu
,1,.+ only the best men were selected ~
commissioners. Unfortunately Dr' mum.
,bravs said. the record did not suppo''
that claim. and continued: =
.Tbe offices are part Of the spohs VI
Marty victory and control. As RUE t"'N
ore NOT fitted for their duties. Inc ho.'o9'
men among them realize that ana seen ~
AZ themselves by study. But they are Al
nosition of an unsklled surgeon perloi III
ing operations on unfortunate p"'''''''
until he becomes prohcient' II
81 hold that on every one OF these pun
lie service commissions the ensiheerins
profession should be Adequately i'p''
sa,ted bv no means claim that because
man &c an engineer he is necessarily
qualified for membership. any more ''i"i'
a man is qualified to be Judge because
he is a lawyer. oo-
..,rbe fault is not entirely with the peo-
n,e or those with the powers OF aPpo''''
r,ont The engineers themselves are W
hlo,ra for not taking a more active III
,orast or course. il is well-in iac'' es-
sential-to have the legal profession
rosartad on a public service commissio"'
80 do NOT hesitate to say that COM
,,,issior of five broadly trained engineers
with a competent legally ualheu
ant would give far better results ." '''c
average than have so far been oplaii'eu'
o.har sneakers were John W. Leo' j"
,,,ocident Of the New York EDISON
Company: J. II. kuntz. preslueh' VI W.
Alumni Association; James sague' an e'
o;,.ear and member of the ID Ne" ioi
S+ato public Service Commission anu
xe,ycomb Carlton. vice-president OF 'ie
u-ostern Union Telegraph Company.
rast night several informal dinners ana
,,oatirg Of the Stevens men were held IN
castle stevens This morning theie
he a business meeting, after when JUS
from the navy yard will take the ems
reers 10 the Brooklyn yard on tour .,
inspection. A formal dinner VIII pe menu
,hie evening at the Hotel Astor.