Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-04
SILzER AND RUNYON
PLANkS ARE INCLUDED
IN PARTY PLATFORMS
Utility Questions, Beer and
Light Wines and G. 0. P.
Waste Feature Demo-
cratic Platform

TRENTON, Oct. 4.-Restoration
of contracts between municipalities
and utility corporations under
which a fat rate of five cents was
charged is advocated as one of the
planks adopted by the Democratic
State Convention in harmonious
session here yesterday at the Stacy
Trent Hotel. This plank, something
new in the utility question, is one
OF Judge Silzer's and provides for
tho passage OF constitutional
amendment in this state making 1t
mandatory that franchise contracts
under which utility companies ace
operating, be legally sound. Fare
contracts have heen declared IN
valid by the high stats courts.
I'VE believe that such a meas
ure is legally and constitutionally
sound" reads the platform. Their
result will be to restore the status
which. existed prior to the judicial
decisions referred to and VIII
establish a fare not in excess of the
contract rate without protracted,
wearisome and expensive litigation
which has proved s1cn burden to
the people of the state"
The Democratic convention fur
LIl6E uISeu Luo PdoSa60 "a bAo o-A4
now pending in congress prohibiting
federal interference in the findings
of the board of public utility COM
missioners. This measure was spon-
scred by Congressman Isaac Bacha-
rach, of Atlantic City, and has been
in a house committee for more than
nine months.
open specifications for all road
paving as the only absolute guaran-
tee that the moneys of the taxpay-
ers will be honestly and economi-
cally expended" was also included
as one of the planks adopted by the
Democratic convention. The pres
ent state highway commission was
commended for it's prompt action IN
giving New Jersey the fine roads
that it now has and reference was
made to the gross inactivity OF the
former body. The roads of the state
were characterized as built with the
highest degree" of perfection un-
der the direction of the present
commissioners. Reference was fur-
ther made to the reduced cost of
maintenance as well as consfrue-
| ton.
"The New Jersey State Highway
Department created under the Edge
| highway act. functioned under the
former highway commission until
| July, 1920. The total number OF
miles of highway completed in tina
period was forty. Since July, 1920,
up to the end of the present con-
struction season, the present hign-
way commission under Democrats
administration will have completed
$50 miles of highways. The commits
nnnfrn1 dfd
not attempt any maintenance of the
state highways until 1919 and then
only on a part of the system. The
present commission, upon assuming
Office Immediately put the entire
system at that time except the parts
under construction, under mainten-
ance. The present commission was
the first to Systematically remove
snow from the highways.
Defeat of the proposed $40,000,00O
bond issue for the completion OF the
state highway system, however, was
the terms of the Pierson bill intro
duced last year the question will be
put to a referendum on November 6.
ITO issue the bonds" 1t was de-
clared. would result in an unneces-
sary burden being added to one that
is already too heavy.
Declaration was made for the re-
stcration of light wines and beer.
The Volstead act was denounced as
violating the contents of the fourth
and fifth amendments to the United
States constitution.
I'VE call attention to the fact that
the Republican party with its Anti
Saloon League assistants. has full
charge of the enforcement of the
law" it was recited. THAT the law
is not enforced is conceded. 1t
must. therefore. follow that either
the Republican party is chargeable
with the non-enforcement of our
constitution and statutes or that the
law itself is of such character and
so unpopular with the people that
it cannot be enforced"
"Class hatred is being engender-
ed because those who are rich have
liquor in their cellars or are able to
buy it from bootleggers, while the
poor man, deprived of his innocent
glass of beer. resents this discrimina-
tion."
fContinned on page -