Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-05-01
POLITICS, CHARGE
UTILITY BOARD
State Body Says Governors
Action Against Commission
Was Taken to Fulfill Pledge
By specia, Correspondent.

"po dNCit W uiiiii U iCu9C
By Special Correspondent.
TRENTON, May 1:-Charging
that the application of Jersey City
for the dismissal of themselves from
office was not made in good faith but
to make good the campaign utter
ances of Governor Edwards and chal-
lenging the right of the governor to
sit in judgment upon them because
of these utterances, the four MEM
bers of the Board of Public Utility
Commissioners today made answer
to Jersey City's attack. The board is
scheduled to be given a hearing by
the governor early in this month.
The members are John w. Slocum,
George f. Wright, Paterson; Andrew
Gaul, Jr.. Ridgefield, Bergen county,
and Harry L. Knight. Medford, Burl-
ington county, all Republicans. AL
fred S. March, of New Brunswick,
the fifth member of the commission.
and a Republican, resigned some
time ago because of his law practice
and poor health.
1.-THE board ventures the opinion
that the charges filed by the mayor
and aldermen of the city of Jersey
City are not in good faith" says the
answer, but are brought because or
utterances of the governor when a.
candidate. for the executive Office.
"The board, and each. member
thereof, charge and assert that the
governor is disqualified from hearing
and reaching fair determination OF
the charges so brought because OF
these utterances. which expressed his
intention. of elected. to remove the
Public Utility Commission"
The answer then quotes from sew
eral newspaper advertisements print
ed in papers of the state during the
campaign IN which the governor was
quoted as having said: Il ana pledged,
in the event of my election, to pro-
tect the interests of the people OF
the state, and / say now that one OF
my first acts will be to remove the
present Public Service controlled
utility commissioners" Another Ed
wards quotation the utility board
mentions in its answer to Jersey
City's charges follows: II the peo-
pie of New Jersey at the polls IN
November repose their confidence In
me, l promise that one of my first
official acts will he to take steps to
remove the present utilities commis-
sion."
"These statements. and others OF
like tenor reported as made by the
governor before whom these charges
are brought show that the case has
been pre-judged." declared the an
swer, "and that no matter how base,
less the charges of the mayor ana
aldermen of Jersey City, or complete
the answer thereto may be, TINS VIII
not affect q predetermined actioh.
For these reasons the board. and
each member thereof. protest against
tie governor hearing the SAID
charges, and insist that If the said
MAYOR and aldermen have any griev-
ance with respect to any act or Iaii-
ure to act of the board they pe ol-
rected to apply to the supreme court
of this state. which has ample au-
thority to afford to the complainants
any relief to which they may be en-
titled"
The answer denies practically every
charge made in the bill of complaint
filed with Governor Edwards by Jer.
sey City and further points out tnat
in a number of instances certain
members were not on the comnls,
sion when the things complained
about were decided. Commissioners
Gaul and Knight are specifically re-
ferred to in this connection, they only
taking office year ago.
Denial Is particularly made by the
commission that It has pursued
vacillating and uncertain policy with
respect to the Public Service railway
rates, Public Service Gas and Pubic
1.-THE various phases of the matter
of the rates Of the Public Service
Railway Company have been before
our courts" says the answer In TINS
connection, land were the suDJect
matter of the charges filed by the
town of Montclair against the board
Where the actions of the board have
been reviewed by our court they have
been sustained. The charges nled
by the town of Montclair were dis
posed of by former Governor Run
yon."
1t is pointed out that 1t is essential
to the welfare of the state In abnor-
NAL times to grant rate increases 10
meet increased operating expenses
and to keep up adequate service. and
that this broad. constructive policy
has been carried out by boards SIM
liar to the New Jersey commission
throughout the United States.
THE position of New Jersey is
UNIQUE In that none of its railway
facilities have been abandoned, nor
has it's service been curtailed, ana
the necessity Of receiverShips has
been avoided" said the answer in
this connection.
Street railway fares were comment
ed upon as follows:
Increased fares in some form or
another are now effective in all but
sc OF ZlS cities OF the Oilllcu saws
having q population of 20 600 or
more. The cash fare in 1e6 of these
cities is more than five cents; in 11S
of them more htna six cents and In 81
of them hore than six cents and In Of
DIN "a the rate of fare Is more than
eight cents"
The answer also says that the time
has come to decide the status OF the
Public Utility Commission and its
limitations.
"The board must be one of two
things; either 1t Is to be legislative
agent, exercising its best judgment In
performing duties delegated TO 1t by
the legislature. with the courts open
for application for orders to compel
1t to perform duties, which any mu-
nicipality or citizen may believe are
neglected, and for the review OF any
official action which may be question
ed or It is to be a body with no in
dependent Judgment, existing for the
purpose of carrying out the will OF
the governor in dealing-with the mat
CONTINUED on page 81
Wire Mccormick for all kinds of wire;
Nfa(trr afelx q