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 fiat 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
tha passage OF constitutional
amendment in this state making 1t
mandatory that franchise contracts
under which utility companies are
operating, be legally sound. Fare
contracts have been declared IN
valid by the high stats courts
| I'VE believe that such a meas
ure is legally and constitutionaliy
sound" reads the PLATFORM Their
result will be to restore the status
which existed prior to the judicial
decisions referred to and VIII
establish fare not In excess OIL fne
contract rate without protracted,
lwearisome and expensive litigation
which has proved sucn a burden 10
the people of the state"
The Democratic convention fur
ther urged the passage of the OIL
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 tnan
nine months.
"Open specifications for all road
paying as the only absolute guaran-
i tee that the moneys of the taxpay-
ers will be honestly and economi-
4 caIly 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 1t 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 perfecuon un.
der the direction of the presenl
commissioners. Reference was fur
tier made to the reduced cost ol
| maintenance as well as consfruc'
tion.
i'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
perio was forty. Since July, lsZo'
up to the end of the present con-
struction season, the present high
wav commission under Democrati,
administration will have completes
i250 miles of highways. The commits
, sion under Republican control dlo
| not attempt any maintenance OF the
i 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 S4o,Vov'ovu
bond issue for the completion OF the
state highway system. however. wa:
the terms of the Pierson bill intro
duced last year thes question will DC
put to a referendum on November g
ITO issue the bonds" it was . de-
clared. would result in an unneces'
sary burden being added to one thal
; is already too heavy.
Declaration was made for the re
!, stcration of light wines and beer
The Volstead act was denounced a.
, violating the contents of the fourtf
and fifth amendments to the unltet
St;tes constitution.
I'VE call attention to the fact tina
the Republican party with its Anti
Saloon League assistants. has ful
: charge of the enforcement OF tn'
law" it was recited. THAT the law
| is not enforced is conceded.
J must, therefore. follow that eithe'
the Republican party is chargeabl'
. with the non-enforcement Of oul
J constitution and statutes or that th'
law itself is of such character ant
SO unpopular with the people tina
| It cannot be enforced"
"Ciass hatred is being engender
ed because those who are rich hav'
: LIQUOR in their cellars or are able II
: buy It from bootleggers, while tn
poor man. deprived OF his innocen
. glass of beer, resents this discrimina
tion."
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