Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-03-30
GOVERNOR HITS
UTILITY LAWS
He Urges New Legislation to
Remedy Conditions in Spe-
CiaI Message Last Night

that existing laws regulating contro
Of utility corporations by the Utilit.
Commission are confusing and oper
ate against the interests of the pub
lie, Governor Edwards last night, il
a special message to the legislature
urges prompt passage OF the Gaed'
bills for the reorganization of tn
Public Utility Commission and add
tional legislation to be prepared by
conference between the committe,
and the attorney general.
Noting that the bills W not We
been reported out of committee, tn
governor recalls his promise to sug
gest to the legislature remedial legis
lation on the subject, among sugges
tons, he recommends that the legis
lature pass laws to make clearer tn
power- and duties of the commission
The governors message follows:
| Gentlemen of the Legislature:
The present legislative session il
now drawing TO a close. Up to date
there have been presented to me fol
approval approximately sixty bills
| None of them, with the exception oil
the n which defines the states pol
icy with respect to prohibition, bear
any subject of importance to the peo-
pie of this state. You have before
you for consideration measures OF
| considerable moment to the people
| VI IN SIdlSs as wv oo -
have not been reported out of COM
mittee. I refer particularly to the
legislation dealing with the utility
situation.
Int the last campaign for the Office
of governor 1t became manifest be-
yond question hat there was a lack
Of public confidence in the Board of
Public Utility Commissioners, pre-
dicated upon the conduct of that board
in dealing with the trolley fare in
%creases. 1t is not my purpose to here
In discuss the record of those proceed
ings. / assume 1t Is sufficiently fresh
in your recollection to impress upon
you the desirability of action. II
1t is not, I would suggest that you
confer with the members of the legis-
lature from Camden county, who will
be able to tell you of the riotous
scenes that marked the attempt to
enforce the rulings of the Board of
Public Utility Commissioners with re-
that existed in Camden county was
in more or less degree duplicated in
other parts of the state.
I was so impressed with the public
attitude on this matter that I prom
ised I would do everything / could
to remedy the situation. l believe in
keeping promises. 1t is my judgment
that the march of social unrest can
not hope to be stayed II tho people
are allowed to believe that their public
administrators cannot be trusted to
keep, when in office, the pledges made
to Secure that Office.
Nor can the faith of the people
in the integrity OF their public ser
wants be preserved If legislation de-
signed to protect their rights, which
are necessarily adverse to those of
great corporate interests, is allowed to
die In committee without a chance
of its merits being openly discussed
on the floor of the legislature.
Assembly Bills Nos. As, 40. so and
81 by Mr.. Gaede, were introduced
as evidence of my intention to keep
faith with the people. They provide
for a new utility board of three, to
be elected and for a commission to
value the properties of the utilities.
They should be passed at once. II
it is the will of the majority party
not to a such legislation, then the
bills should be defeated, so that there
may be no misunderstanding in the
public mind where the responsibility
lies.
The city of Jersey City has filed with
mo as governor charges of miscon-
duct in office and neglect Of duty
dSdllloL the IntlIlUSES Ol Tie pubic uIlI-
ity commission.
The charges disclose a condition Of
affairs in reference to the public utility
law and its administration Of which
l was not previously aware, and
which demands the careful considera-
ton of the legislature, irrespective of
whether the commissioners are espon-
sible for these conditions, or whether
they are due to the defects In the
D-f - Al Loo x-I - T
oped by the administration of the law,
or by the effect upon such administra-
ton of the decisions of our courts.
The matters which should thus be
considered by the legislature are,
among others. the following:
h law should make clear whether
it Is the legislative intent that the
commission should be a court before
which proceedings In relation to pub
lie utilities should be tried out. or
whether the board is to act primarily
and principally as the representative
of the public in fixing and enforcing
the public rights with relation to our
public utility corporations.
If the Legislature determines that
the latter course is the object to
be obtained, as I think it should, then
the legislature should enact the neces-
sary legislation to make clear that
Pun POSV oltu SltOlilo IilahO III ftTbS-
sary appropriations to carry 1t out.
The decisions of the courts have
left many provisions of the law in
doubt, which the legislature should
lear up by appropriate legislation.
1t appears to be uncertain, for exam
pie, under what conditions the pro-
visions of the law delaying the put
ting into effect of any Increase in
rate for twenty days applies. In at
least one case the court has held that
1t did not apply. If any such provi-
sion is to exist in the law there should
be no doubt of it's application.
Another plain defect in the law Is
h provision limiting the power Of
the board to suspend rates filed or
fixed by any utility for three months
pending an investigation and hear
ing. 1t appears that this provision
operates to the disadvantage of the
public. Whenever an application is
a for an increase, because in
such cases the utility corporation
puts in its case first and absorbs so
much of the three months that too
little time is left for the proper in
vestigation of the board of the COM
pany's evidence or for the proper pre-
%sentation of other evidence by inter-
vening municipalities. 1t appears
that in several OF the cases the time
has bee extended by consent of the
corporation involved.
1t i'll intolerable that the law should
be so trained as to leave the proper
presentation OF the public side of
these great controversies dependent