Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-07-12
THE COURTS AND THE PEOPLE.

Seldom, if ever, have the higher courts OF
New Jersey been held in such disrepute by the
public as at the present time, due to the Public
Service fare-increasing mess. The people Of the
state have defended their judiciary system
against all attacks. The agitation for the popu-
lar election of judges has found little sympathy
here, The desire has been to keep the courts
out of politics. While occasionally there has
been cause for criticism, by leaving the appoint
ments of the Judges entirely in the hands OF the
governor a high standard has been maintained
in this state and Jersey justice" has become
famous in all parts OF the country.
To saw that confidence in the states Judiciary
has been severely shaken by recent events, how
ever, is putting it mildly. The influence of the
Public Service Corporation in the state govern
ment has been notorious. Bills have been
damned through the legislature favorable to
the Public Service interests; concessions have
been secured from various commissions; IRAN
chises have been violated with impunity. and
the ''public-be-damned" policy has been so
naerantly Haunted before the people that 1t
has seemed almost as if the grip that the Pubic
Service held in the state could never be broken
But through 1t all the courts have retained
the confidence Of the great majority OF inc
people. Regardless of in whose FAVOR a oe'
cision has been rendered 1t was accepted as
Just, and although some may have continued 10
differ with the conclusions arrived at, the
opinion al finally handed down by the courts
has been fully respected.
or course. it is not to be expected that the
court will always take the popular side OF q.
question. To yield to popular clamor oespite
the Justice Of a case would destroy utterly the
usefulness of the court. The independence
shown by the New Jersey courts has peen their
greatest strength. There are occasions, now
ever. when the faith of the people Is pretty
bsd,v shaken. We have such an occasion right
now.
There has been more than one scandal over
the efforts of the Public Service Railway Com
nanv to increase It's fare. One Public utihty
rornroission has been wrecked because OF II.
Waving finally settled on a seven-cent 1are'
hcyuaver. the Public Service made further ap-
ri,cation for an increase to ten cents. Inc
puh,;c Service wanted this new fare increase
right away pending a determination OF a just
80. =, fare based on the valuation Of the COM
nanvs property. This application the Public
I1tiIitv Commission denied, whereupon the fuo'
,,ca Service appealed to the supreme court.
The GROUNDS on Which, LII ~
fused the increase seemed perfectly reasonable
TO the public. The final decision as L d i"''
based on valuation has got to be mace oy july
"a or the ten-cent fare goes into erect auto
matically. The utility board felt that az '"e
time was so close at hand, anyway ana as Liz
perrnanent rate of fare to be fixed at that unhe
might not be ten cents, 1t would only aoo u
confusion 70 grant a ten-cent fare for the brief
ner,od intervening with the possibility OF
another change so soon.
In the appeal to the supreme court. however
. decision was handed down a few days ago by
Sustice Bergen ordering the Public Utility Com
mission to reopen the case and practically
demanded that an increase be allowed the Pubic
Service Railway Company during the interim
declaring that the action of the utility ooaro
in denying the increase was not in accord with
the evidence submitted.