Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-21

the four utility board bills introduced
by Assemblyman Gaede. of Hudson,
to see the light of day. They were
on January 26, about q
month ago, and repeated requests to
the Republican floor leader of the
House. Mr. Hershfield, of Passaict
who holds the bills as chairman OF
the judiciary committee. have failed
to move the measures from the tghe
grip of that committee.
Unable to fathom the cause for
this course toward the utility board
reorganization bills, which include q
measure to provide for an elective
commission, another to abolish tho
present board, third to make tenn
porary appointments to fill the va
cancies thus created and fourth to
create a commission to value the
properties of all utility corporations
in the state, the governor SAYS today
1t must be the desire of the Republi-
cans to give the right of way TO the
bill of Assemblyman Rowland, or
Camden, who wants to cre&te a board
of three members to be elected by
the legislature IN Joint session at
salaries Of $4,000 q year.
He objects tc this plan, declaring
that there are only two ways utlilty
board can be properly selected. The
first by direct election of its MEM
bers and the second by appointments
by the governor.
II viii resent any effort to take
from the office of governor the pow
ers which properly belong there he
declares today "unleSS those powers
are directly delegated to the people.
The Rowland bill was reported out
this week and will be ready for thlro
reading and final passage or defeas
next week.
TT is apparently the plan of the
Republican majority In the assembly
to stife the administration measures
on this subject" said Mr.. Edwards
(which embody the campaign prom
ises solemnly made by me and as soi-
emnly endorsed by the people and TO
make an effort to substitute the ROW.
land BILL
ut Is a well known fact that there
is a strong lobby making every Ell.
fort to control the utility legi5latlon,
continued the statement of the execu-
tive. This lobby does not appear In
the open at committee hearings, an
there have been no committee hear
ings on any utility legislation asked
for. So far this lobby appears TO nave
been able to smother these bill IN com
mittee and believe people or the state
should know exactly where the re-
sponsibility for this situation restS.
I shall recommend that unless these
bills are reported forthwith an eiloFs
he made to relieve the committee oL
their consideration, under ehe Iuie"
of the house."
The governors remarks on the Tour
per cent beer bill of Democratic Leao-
er Bennett OF Essex. are eduaiiy IN
teresting and are an indlcation tnat
he wants nothing OF TIE Ifo per cens
is now fomenting in the senate IN the
form, Of the Pilgrim measure. :.
. 'aThe bill still rests in committees.
terseIv comments Mr. Edwards on THIS
measure. "The air Is filled with ru-
mors that this bill will not see tr9
light of day and that some otner pa,.
is to be passed, principally TOT tna
Durpose of preventing the present az.
mjnistration from getting any creolt
that might follow upon the passase
Of such legislation. / am not ih.eI
ested In where the credit for such les-
islation goes. l am Interested now
ever. in seeing that the state exeIclsss ss
its constitutional prerosalNe VI io
lating on the subject
1T belieye that the Barrett Dill col-
| ractlv interprets and effectuatos .s0
wishes of the people of this state, @ anu
can say to the judiciary commieteo
, oF the house that unless the pii
released from committee AT ohce. ~
| tion will be taken to relieve that eoan
Inittee from luI li'ei -
the measure. ,.o tbA
bousing situation is still sleeping III
committee also, although introduce"
ON February 2, says the goVein.oi'
srThe situation at which the resoiu t-oH !,
,yoa aimed Is critical and urgent,
he states. "In my inaugural nte
SAGE / called attention to the fact riiat
~ any relief were to be given 10 the
.~oo,io tho commission should be ap-
nointed at once, so that 1t mlgnt re re-
mort TO the present legislature. Ing
rasolutton in question was referreu W
the same Judiciary committee, wher"
n has since slept. Why l don't KNOW.
7 susnect that it is doomed to remain
| in that committee, (if the kepuoiicans
maioritv has it's way) as result OF
-Ibot seams TO be the general plan or
nrogram of the Republican maJority
to smother all administrative meas
1Ires. | can promise them that the
resolution vii be reported out.
"If the Republica major ty want
to assume the responsibility for pre-
venting any consideration or TINS suD-
iect matter they will have cnahcS
to beat the resolution on the nooF thov Az
the house SO far as | can see, tney
have effectually accomplished tns
frnstration of quick relief through
the delay already caused In reporeli1s
the resolution
.It would be too much to ask any
commission. with the short tine inter
vening between the passase OF S tnS
resolution, If 1T can be pass a ana
the final adjournment of IN glsia-,
ture, to undertake consideration oi
tho problem However. the RS luton
should he forthwith rerorto1 ana
nassed and the state should nave the
heuofft of such relief as NAV be pos
s'ble under the circumstances.