Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-01-03
UTILITY BOARD
BUT
ANSWER RUNYON
Takes Governor to Task for
Some Of His Statements
POLITICS IS ALLEGED
Practically Say He Induced
Montclair to Bring Charges
at Election Time
BIZ Special Correspondent.

By Special Correspondent.
TRENTON, Jan. 2.-Despitc the
fact that 1t was exonerated of any
wrong doing by Acting Governor Run
yon in his decision this week, the
Board of Public Utility Commissioners
today issued a statement taking the
Executive to task for some of the
things he said about the personnel of
the board in his decision dismissing
the charges of Montc1air against the
Utility Commission In the Public Ser
vice zone fare matter.
The boards statement practically
charges Mr. Runyon with inducing
Montclair to bring the charges before
him while he was candidate for the
Republican nomination for Govern or
and at a time when political capital
was being made from the trolley faro
increases.
Criticism is also levelled at the Act
ing Governor for delaying for several
months his decision upholding the
boards members, thus keeping them
under cloud all that time. especially
when he knew they were not guilty of
Montclair's charges. The latter could
have been dismissed Immediately,
thinks the Public Utility Commission.
Following Is the statement OF the
Utility Commission:
The board is gratifled that the
-and judiciously disposed of by the
Acting Governor. 1t is to be re-
GREETED, however. that he should have
SO unfairly abused the power of his
office by indulgence in an unjust
criticism of the personnel of the
board, using the proceedings before
him as an excuse for so doing. Hav-
ing found that the charges were with
out foundation and sustaining the
action of the board, it became his
bounden duty to uphold an important
department of the state government
of which he Is temporarily the head.
His action rather lends credence to
much of the criticism which has been
levelled at him during the whole pro-
ceeding.
1T developed at the hearing on
Montclair's complaint that while he
was Acting Governor and a candidate
Cor the Gubernatorial nomination, at
a time when political capital was be-
ing made of increases in rates the
board in the performance of Its duty
could not deny. he suggested to the
Mayor of Montclair that he bring
charges against the board. OF these
charges he now says there was no
trace OF Intentional wrong doing on
the part of any member of the board;
that apparent care was exercised at
all stages Of the proceedings COM
planned Of and that he cannot but de-
'termine that they stand acquitted
THE record before him is SO plain
that he should have dismissed the
charges Immediately at the conc1u-
sion of the hearing. Instead Of per-
forming this plain duty. he announced
that he would give his decision in a
few days. In violation of his word he
has permitted the members Of the
commission to remain under cloud
for more than two months while he
apparently hcs been seeking escape
from the dile.na In which he had
placed himself.
FINALLY he does what should have
been done at once, dismisses the
charges. In order to avoid the con-
sequences of his ineptitude, however,
he adds to his ndings dismissing the
charges q criticism of the qualifica-
tions of the members of the board ap
pointed by the duly elected governors
who preceded him and confirmed by
the senate of the state. He conde-
scendingly grants that they are hon
est and sincere but expresses the
opinion that they have proven them
selves woefully out of place in office.
This Is done in a find dismissing a pc
tition asking for the removal of the
commissioners from office because of
the manner in which they conducted
the most important case before them
and without the citation of single
instance where they have failed in the
performance of their duty.
His statement that for some of the
members of the board he has great
respect and knows them to be pos
sessed of great ability does not make
his offenSe the less"