The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1919-04-11
INDEPENDENT PRESS
BALkS AT EDWARDS
Its Comment on His Anti-Admin-
istration Measures Gives Little
Encouragement to His De-
structive Policies.

TrentOn.-As an indication of the
trend of thought among the independ-
ent voters of New Jersey on the poll
cies of the Republican administration,
Republican leaders have been obServ-
ing with much interest the attitude of
the Independent press on the anti-ad-
miniStration measures introduced in
the legislature by Senator Edward l.
Edwards of Hudson county, candidate
of the Nugent-Hague machine for the
Democratic nomination for governor.
They have noted with satisfaction that
from this section of the press the SEN
ator has thus far little or nothing to
hope for to bolster up his campaign
Among the powerful independent pa
pers which have taken him to task for
some or all of his anti-admnistration
measures are the Newark Evening
News and Newark Sunday Call. Here
is a specimen editorial from recent
issue of the Sunday Call:
Public Utility Bill Scored.
"In the debate in the senate on Mr..
Edwards bill making members of the
Public Utilities Commission elective
instead of appointive Senator Case
challenged supporters of the bill to
produce one instance where the COM
mission had made decision that did
not conform with the law and the
and on the final vote the bill was de-
feated, as it should have been, by
vote of 10 to 5.
"There was no excuse for the bill
outside of hope to make capital for
the introducer, who, it is expected,
will be the Democratic organizations
candidate for governor. The commits
sion has granted numerous requests
made by public utility companies for
higher rates, but in every instance
upon the strongest kind of evidence
showing not only the necessity, but
the reasonableness, of such increases.
A number of these have been taken
into the courts and invariably the &C.
tion of the commission has been sus-
tanned. At all times 1t has shown a
disposition to deal fairly with all par
lies in interest, it has made no snap de-
cisions, has listened patiently to the
testimony produced and has given pro-
testers ample time to produce proof
to refute the claims of the utility COM
panies. At no time has 1t shown bias
or partisanship.
"Why, then, the effort to legislate
the present board members out of of
flee and provide that their successors
shall be elected by the people? Sim
ply because of the knowledge that in
creases in public utility rates are re-
sented by many people and the hope
to catch their votes by posing as their
champion. What though the bill was
contrary to New Jersey traditional
policy of non-partisan judiciary?
What though its enactment would of a
surety make the commission a parti-
san body? What though not a dect-
sion of the present commission has
been found contrary to the law or the
facts or been overturned by the courts?
Why should any attention be paid to
these considerations II votes were to
be gained through the Introduction of
the bin 1t is. unlikely that Mr.. Ed
wards entertained the slightest hope
that the bill would become a law. 1t
gave him an opportunity to pose as the
champion of the oppressed proletariat,
and he took It,"