Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-02
Public Utility Question

Mayor Hague's friend, Governor
Edwards"
-. Public Utility Question
NEW BRUNSWICK, Oct. q
Judge George s. Silzer, Democratic
candidate for governor, today issued
the following statement on Senator
Runyon's stand on the Public Utility
question:
"On Tuesday, the Democratic con-
veEtion will adopt a plank on the
utility question, and immediately
thereafter I shall discuss it on the
stump. L shall also elaborate my
views upon a return to a 5-cent fare,
which Mr.. Runyon has not yet en-
dorsed.
Before placing my views before
the public. it might be interesting
to know what Mr.. Runyon has really
said upon this question, especially
in view of the impression his man
ayers nave been trying to give. They
have been trying to impress the
public with the idea hal he has sad
something new and startling, when
the fact is that he has said little
or nothing new. or of value.
"First, he says he favors the
| Bacharach Bill. This is the bill that
has slept in congress for seven
months, and evidently will never
those who control New Jersey also
control congress.
MIR. Runyon has not declared
himself upon my substitute for the
Racharach bill. This bill is free from
the objections urged against the
Bacharach bill, and would avoid ell
the evils of Injunction, delay and
costs, which the Bacharach bill was
designed to correct.
Secondly, Mr.. Runyon says in
va!uing the utilities, there should be
real and actual values. There is
nothing new about that. That has
always been so, and the courts have
There is nothing startling abodt
agreeing with a court decision.
He says in valuing there should
be excluded: Goodwill, franchise
value, past deficits, development,
costs, hypothetic brokerage costs
deferred maintenance, federal taxes
and similar items.
THE United States Supreme Court
in the Galveston case decided mos
of this, and the rest has been con-
stantly applied by utility commits
sions, and is based upon court rul-
ings by u own supreme court II
New Jersey.
What a wonderful ray of light is
shed, by merely repeating to the
public what the court has decided.
How enlightening it must be, &c
say, This is what l would do wher
the United States supreme cour'
has already said, This is what yot
must do
''There is nothing especially com
mendable in saying hat you VII
obey a ruling Of the highest cour
in the land, for you must do IT, l
lyou will or not. So here, there Il
nothing new. A..
Thirdly, Mr.. Runyon says tina
the Public Utility Act should stale
specifically what items should a1'
what items should not be
You will observe at once ina
this is saying nothing, since ne uoe'
not say what shall and what shai
not be included. ,n,
what are the items that shan U
excluded? He sayeth not. Nelthel
does he say what will be the elect y
laying down q hard and fast ruae
and tieing the hands of the omnis
sion. nor what will happen II TN
courts do not agree with the les1 -
lature; and whether it Will not o
necessary to again unite the manu-
of the commission.
"Fourthly, Mr.. Runyon says n
would put the holding compan'e
under regulation. But he does no
explain why. if you properly resu
late each individual COMPANY an
see that it does not a nol,
than what is right, how Is reguIato ~,
of holding companies going TO liz
prove upon this. 40
"FifthIy, Mr.. Runyon says tna
IF over-capitalized, the capl.a
SHOULD be reduced to its real valus,
There is nothing startling In merel.
stating a trueism. No one can guar
rel with one for saying 2 ana
make a.
"And SO if one win take the t5ou
BILE to lay aside the camouras
of Mr.. Runyon's campaign me
ayers, and the putting Of his 1fleIus
one will see that he has been mere
faying the wind, and mas rais
much dust to throw into the PEG
PIES eyes-nothing more.
with those who do not nius /.
stand, and those who do not want I
understand, this is effective. ihe en-