Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-07
HITS
BLOW ON BUSES
Passes Pierson Bill, Putting All
Jitneys in State Under Con-
troll of Public Utility Board
Bi, Special Correspondent.

TRENTON, April THE House OF
assembly struck a blow at the iitneys
which are competing with the trolley
lines in the state when il passed yes
terday the Pierson bill TO put the
former under the regulation of the
Public Utility Commission. The bill
barely squeezed through, the vote
being thirty-one to twenty-five. As
semblyman George. Democrat. of Hud-
son, led the fight against the bill and
opening charged that the Public Ser
vice lobbyists had worked assiduously
for its passage. He was supported
on the roll call by the entire Hudson
delegation and about ten Republicans.
The entire Nugent delegation from
Essex county. following the action of
Democratic Leader Barrett, Joined
Pierson and the Republicans in putting
the measure across in the House. A
large delegation of jitneymen, whose
business interests are at stake in the
fight on this bill. heard the debate
from the galleries. Following is the
vote:
Ayes: Barrett, Blackwell, Boswell,
Casale. Coles. Cranmer, Cross, Datcr,
Finley, FODDER Forlenza. Freund Fritts,
Speaker Glover Hastings, Headley.
Hershfleld. Hyland. Judge, Lewis.
Lyons, Pierson, Roberts Rowland,
Siegler, Tozer. Wallworth, Warner,
Whalen, Dallas G. Young and David
Young-31.
Blair. Bowen, Coppinger. DE Voc, Ed
ridge. Gaede. George. Guthrie, Hansen,
Heinzmann, McAteer, Moore. Rogers,
Schultz, Silver, Stanton, Stiles. Stout,
Tattersall.-22.
Assemblyman George in opposing
the bill said he was "astonished" that
Mr.. Pierson. of Union, who more than
any other member of the House had
been noted for his constructive work
as legislator should be the sponsor
for this obnoxious bill
There Is no occasion to transfer
! the regulation of the jitney from the
/ city to the Utility Board, which IL Is
being charged is not capable of hand
, ling all the work before it. This will
add tho enterprise in which $4,000
men in the state are engaged. men who
are providing very helpful transporta-
| tion. Why the Public Service Corpora
tion called in the heads of the trolley
unions and told them they would have
to support this measure or take the
consequences.
This bill l suppose is the reason
| why so many Public Service lobby
lists have been seen in the halls of
| late. l want no better explanation
! for this measure than that seen In
the fact that Mr.. OToole, assistant
to the president of the company. has
been seen buzzing very beautifully In
the car of the proponent OF this bill.
| Having witnessed that, i cannot help
but think that this Is nothing more
than a Public Service measure"
| IF this Board of Utility Commits
sioners is so inefficient as to cause
all the trouble In Camden, Passaic
and Hudson counties" continued
| George. then we have no right TO
force this additional work upon it,"
| Barrett for the Essex Democrats
said it was for the safeguarding OF
the peoples interests that jitneys
should be regulated. He said the
teeth" were out, and, therefore
Essex would support it.
While the debate was OH Edmund
w. Wakelee. vice president of the
Public Service, was in the gallery and
James r. Nugent. monitor of the
twelve Essex assemblymen, standing
in the lobby of the House.
4 Pierson said the bill was "to pro
tect the jitney industry possible from
its own destruction" He answered
the. attacks on the bill by the Hudson
assemblymen by reading from a clip
ping which said RECKLESS driving !:
rampant on the Hudson Boulevard
Every municipality should have
the right to regulate the jitneys II
accordance with its local conditions
declared Mr.. Gaede. of Hudson. This
bill is to drive competition away from
the Public Service Corporation