Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-09-27
Z Conventions
NEXT TUESDAY
Neither FreIinghuysen Nor
Edwards Will Have Voice
in Deliberations

cpn -. fTellHS HuySeH, lne III
can. nor Governor Edward 1. Ed
wards, Democratic nominee, viii
have an official vote or voice in the
deliberations of these two gather
ings. This singular situation results
from the wording of the election
law passed in 1911. 1t provides for
the sitting of the nominees for gov
ernor in years when the chief exec
utive is to be elected. but is silent
on the question of United States
senatorial candidates. At the time
the law was passed, in the Wilson
administration, United States nj
tors were still elected by the legisla-
ture on joint ballot, the last being
the late William Hughes. Democrat,
of Paterson. in the lawmaking ses-
sion of 1913. In 1916 Mr.. Freling-
huysen, Republican. was the first
successful candidate under the fed
eral constitutional amendment pro-
viding for the direct election of
members to the upper branch of
congress.
Failing to have the election law
OF 1911 amended to provide seats in
the conventions OF the two parties
for the senatorial candidates shuts
them out of next weeks meetings.
so far as official recognition goes
under the law. However. Messrs.
Edwards and Frelinghuysen will be
present and undoubtedly will ad-
wise in the shaping of the platforms
with particular reference to their
respective candidates.. The former
will be on the Democratic ticket as
a wet candidate and the latter en-
the Republican as a dry"
During the last three years Mr..
Edwards, under the act of 1911, has
been entitled to a seat. as it is pro-
vided that in all years except when
a new governor is to be chosen the
encumbent of hat office shall par
ticipate in the convention of the
party of which he is a member.
This year. however, with a new Ak
ecutive to be chosen, Circuit Court
Judge Silzer will be a delegate IN
the Democratic gathering as the
gubernatorial nominee of Thai party.
Former Senator William n. Runyon
will occupy the same position in the
Republican c~onclaVe.
The Republican convention will be
made up neXt Tuesday of lei dele
gates and will be held in the audi
forum of the Republican Club, this
city. The Democratic convention
will have ia delegates and will meet
in the auditorium of the Democratic
League of Trenton. Both will be
called to order about noon by the
RESP ective state chairmen, Edward c..
Stokes, for the G.. O.. p, and Harry
Hcher, for the party of Thomas Jei-
ferson.
The difference in the number of
delegates between the two party
gatherings results from the fact that
the law gives the hold-over state
senators a seat in the deliberations.
There are at present ten hold over
Republican members of the upper
house of the legislature and three
Democrats. Eight new senator's will
be chosen this fall.
In addition to the candidates for
governor. each convention will have
as members the following: Sixty
candidates for the House of Assemb-
]y: eight for the state senate, and
forty-two members of the respec-
tive state committees, that is twenty
n members of the mems and TWEEN
ty-one members OF the Women's state
committees.
Adoption of the platform will be
the chief and only business of these
two conventions. The theory of the
law under which they operate is that
of the platform should be drafted by
the candidates themselves who are
to face the voters. assisted by the
members of the state committee.
hold over state senators, and the
governor of the party holding that
office, because of their official re-
s~ponsibility for the policies and on
duct of their party.
1t is expected that in the drafting
of the Republican declaration Sen
ator Runyon will insist upon the in
sertion of his ideas on the question
of Public Utility regulation, includ-
ing the placing of the Public Service
Corporation holding company under
the jurisdiction of the Utility Com
mission. the same as it's subsidiaries,
the gas, trolley and electric compan-
les are now.
Other ideas of Mr.. Runyon include
passage of the Bacharach bill to pro-
hibit trolley and similar companies
like the Public Service carrying APP
peals from state regularity boards
to outside federal tribunals. The
seven-cent fare of the utility com
mission a been on appeal to the
United States court for a year and IN
the meantime the people are paying
eight cents allowed the company by
the federal court pending final dis
pOSlllOH VI lHo CdSc. oIotl liz
proposed Bacharach act or some
similar measure by congress this sit
uation would not have occurred.
A third Runyon plank will prob
ably relate to the elements to be
considered in valuing the properties
OF these companies for rate making
purposes. In a declaration last sum-
mer announcing his candidacy the
Union county mar said:
II believe hat the values on
which rates are based should be
actual values. excluding goodwill.
franchise value. past deficits, devel-
opment cost, hypothetical brokerage
fees. deferred maintenance, federal
taxes and other similar items"
The idea to exclude these items is
to u down the valuation to its true
worth, thus keeping down the rates
which the people must pay. The
rates are based mainly on the valua-
ton of the property of the COM
ranies or their investment in the
business.
Opposition to the present dry"
statutes, preservation of the direct
primary, passage of the bill prohibit
ing night employment for women,
moro compensation for workmen
are other plans which it is expected
Mr.. Runyon will ask for in his
party's expression of policies and
principles.
1t is expected that a plank calling
for a five cent fare will be one of
the leading points in the Democratic
platform. Another will call for a
modification of the Volstead act to
provide beers n light wines, but ii