Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-05
III TWO PLATFORMS

"a H6iu Ill IF6HJ0u tuesday. JuSI why the
patty leaders take SO much time to draw up such preten-
tieus documents filled with promises and pledges half of
which they do not pretend to keep, is hard to understand
except that they still hope to fool the people in the same
old way. But they must. realize that the people are getting
wiser every year. 1t is doubtful if one=tenth of the voters
will bother reading the platforms as adopted.
However, custom requires some form of a declaration
Of principles whether the people believe what is said or not
and the pointing with pride at the achievements of their own
party and the condemnation of everything done by the OPP
ponents are taken as a matter of course. Getting down to
concrete facts, both parties prove inconsistent. However,
there is much to be praised, if one could be assured that the
pledges would be fulfilled after election.
The Democrats, after they get through with their long
recital of the sins of commission and sins of omission on
the part of the Republican party, which can be put aside as
so much blabber, present an idea for the control of public
utilities that is worthy of serious consideration. In fact,
the Democrats are On more certain grounds than the Repub-
licans in this respect as the Republicans look to federal legis-
latien to remedy the condition that now deprives the Public
Utility Commission of its rate making power, whereas the
Democrats propose state legislation. They get down to the
very Foundation of the matter when they would make the
terms of a franchise absolutely binding regardless of subse-
quent legislation.
At the same time, the Democrats invite rdicule when
thy declare that ''the first and most important thing is that
the commission Public Utility Commission shall be COM
posed of men of high character, men competent to grasp
the problems and courageous enough to decide them justly.
With the proper kind Of commission, such as we now have
settled, rules for valuations can easily be applied and prompt
and just decision reached"
But the credit fer the proper kind of a Public Utility
Commission "such as we now haye' is due rather to the
present Republican legislature than to Governor Edwards
whose administration the Democrats have got to stand be-
hind. 1t is we'll known that the governor, after ousting the
old Public Utility Commission, attempted to appoint a lot OF
third rate politicians to fill the vacancies. Ihe men whose
names were sent to the Republican senate for confirmation
were VIGOROUSLY incompetent. The Republicans rejected
them and the governor was compelled to name the present
lboard to which the Democrats now point with pride.
Again, the Democratic declaration 'in favor of the just
Md honest enforcement Of the provisions of our constltu-
bn and of our laws SO long as they are upon the statute
oks" in the matter of prohibition, is a joke. The eonstltl-
now forbids the manufacture or sale OF lntoxlcatlng
Aprs. The federal and state laws now fix anything over
half of one per cent. alcohol as intoxicating. Yet the
mt Democratic governor instead OF dong anything TO
. these provisions of the constitution and laws has
source of greatest encouragement to bootleggers
olators. Not the slightest evidence can the Demo-
lee to show that they, as a party, have done any
lstIv and honestly enforce the prohibition laws
heir platform they say should be done.
the matter of the state highways where both
weak. The Republicans pledge themselves to
atoms and competition for all road paving. But
MS have promised this for the past two years.
was introduced in the legislature modelled
states where the greatest progress is being
w improvement. This bill was opposed by
Aent interest and it died in committee IN
- of Senator Parry of Essex county, to get
.6Alican cannot escape the responsibility
(Ris bill! And if they have broken their promise
Dast two years in this regard, what ground IS there
Ifeving that they mean what they say tins time! me
Ablicans will have a hard time convincing the people d
nd time.
But the Democrats also promise open specifications
competition and, at the same time, praise the present
Ebwav commission which was named by Governor Ed
rds after musting the old commission, and which is packed
th men subservient to the patent pavement ring. II the
emocrats believe that competition is SO good, why does not
. present commission secure competition or, at least, re-
&c to paw the excessive prices demanded by the patent
kyement people in New Jersey when just across the Della
are river in Pennsylvania the same material is being fur
shed at a much lower price?
After all, the fulfilling of pledges made by the respee-
10 parties will depend largely on the calibFe of men sent to
be legislature. AS far as Middlesex is concerned, beth par
es have nominated high class candidates. Much will de-
end on their independence after they reach Trenton, how
yer, where legislation is pretty much cut and dried by the
nen behind hefere it reaches the floor of the Legislature