Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-08-28
CITIES DEMAND ACTION
IN TROLLEY STRIKE CRISIS
.Continued from page II

rob these owners of the fruits OF
their years of toll and service, rep
resented by the value of these per-
! mits, and confer these valuable props
} erty rights upon the Public Service
monopoly.
II do not believe that the public
which has been 81 well served by
the faithful service of these NEIL will
permit them to be robbed in this
shameful fashion.
II call attention to the fact that
the millions of people now using
the buses for a five cent fare would
by the proposed plan be compelled
to pay seven cents for such service
as the Public Service monopoly, en-
trenched behind a new contract,
might choose to give.
1T is obvious that the company
would at once to dlscrimi-
nate against the bus service and in
favor of the trolley service. The
large investment of the com pany in
trolleys and the comparatively small
investment in buses would make
such a course inevitable. In a short
time, therefore, we would have the
old conditions which created the
bus service, to wit: excessive fares
and inadequate service. !
ut is true the plan vaguely sug-
gests a measure of control by the
Public Utility Commission, but the
only result would be to create an
irresistible temptation on the part
of the company to control the pcli-
tics of the state in order to control
the commission. 1t is well to remem-
Der that it is only three years since
Governor Edwards removed the
members of this commission appoint
ed by Governor Edge upon charges
of s~ubserViency to this monopoly.
But the plan the com-
pany from any real control by the
commission, by the covenant that the
valuation of $4,000, 900, placed up
on-the property by ex-Judge Haight
in the federal suit, shall be binding
upon the state. That this valuation
is excessive is now admitted by the
company, which frankly says, that
under existing conditions of iitney
competition, its business is unprofit-
able, that is, it will not pay a fair
return upon any such value. The
property of the company cannot be
worth more than is represented by
its earning capacity. The company
now asks the people to make its
bankrupt property worth ~$110, 000,-
900 by the gift of a monopoly of the
street transportation business of the
state. This would effectively tie the
hands of the commission in the vital
matter of fares, and to a large eX-
tent of service. In the light of this
sinister and controlling provision, the
vague and indefinite promise of the
company to negotiate with the COM
mission after the new monopoly has
been clinched, over a possible "re-
vamping'' of its financial structure,
affords another instance of the I'M
fairness with which this company
deals with the public.
ut is we'll to remember that the
strike is in itself an evidence of the
bad management of this company.
1t is the company's business to get
along with it's employees.
"In conclusion, 1 submit that the
commission has no power to carry
out this or any similar plan. lin
the Judgment of the commission the
existing condition of competition be-
tween the bus and the trolley is I'M
desirable, It should submit it's con-
illusions and recommendations to the
next legislature, which is the only
body having the power to authorize
such a plan.
ITO execute a contract giving a
transportation monopoly to a cor
poration which has ~repudiated all of
its previous contracts with the pub
lie, which has refused to abide by
the decision of the commission, and
has now coolly abandoned all at
'tempts to discharge it's duty to the
public, would settle neither the
strike nor the transportation prob
lem. 1t would plunge the whole
question into politics, and the con-
tract would last only so long as the
Public Service Corporation could
control the legislators and municipal
officials of the state. The inevitable
corruption of such a struggle must
be obvious to all.
The commission should adhere to
the position which it assumed at the
last hearing, that the Company must
resume service as a preliminary to
any further negotiations"
Warnings against extending an
absolute monopoly to the McCarter
Interests were sounded by Corpora
ton Counsel Brogan, for Jersey City
Several smaller municipalities de-
Tended the buses and expressed
fears that the Public Service also
was trying to get from under it's
street improvement obligations.
That amendments to the COM
pany's settlement plan would be
considered was signiied by Vice
President Wakelee, in answer to
queries by Director Raymond of
Newark.
IAN atmosphere in which the
company's settlement can live" was
the burden of the company's plea as
voiced by Mr.. Wakelee. He asked
hat the company's right of way be
not destroyed, and withheld any
discussion of the jitney issue.
Counsel Griffin, for Elizabeth,
asked Mr.. Wakelee If the eompany's
declaration for a cancellation OF
paving obligations meant that the
company does not want to pay for
paving work. The company official
replied that the company feels it is
unfair for it to pay for paving
which is used by buses and autos.
AIrIaI MIN nIonnHFnV INI