Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-10-11
THE LICENSE QUESTION.

NRo
Strong granted the license which was
denied by our council for the new
saloon on Broadway, but we have little
doubt that il the Womans' Christian
Temperance Union had had O proper re-
preventative to in~telligently lay be-
fore the Judge some Of the many good
reasons why the number of drinking
places i'll u borough should rot be
increased the license would not have
cen so easily obtained. We boiieve
that this judges of our county courts
have less inducements TO yield to; the
clamor OF individuals for o License,
than have our council, who are mostly
business mel whose business interests
sometimes suffer through not favoring
tho wishes of slme individual. The
farmers of the law confess that they
advocated tho measure because in
many bolouglis they found difficulty
in securing good intelligent business
men on their council because of tho
unpleasantness attending the license
question and they thought if his
unpopular work was taken off their
hands the office of councilman would
be more acceptable to the best class
four representative citizens.
While the law places tile RESPONSE
bility of granting of Licenses with the
court, it is such a disagreeahle task
that the court is not jealous of its
power in 'that respect, and SO the
former custom of granting Of licenses
by brough councils, where they see
fit, is not objected to. There is no
financial inducement to the courts
worthy of consideration since the full
license fee of $3.50 has to be returned
to the respective boroughs. The only
gain to the boroughs appear to he that
the money from the licenses reaches
their treasurer quicker when taken
direct from the saloonkeeper, instead
of waiting for the quarterly or half
yearly returns from the court.
The failure of the remonstrances to
our council have been duo to lack of
energetic and intelligent action more
than to anything else.
The Forgotson matter is a case in
point, and the former one against the
renewing of of the Cheeseman license
was still more emphatioally a proof of
failure through not following up good
ground gained.
Our present council was not in IA
vor of increasing the number of these
nleoes especially, but il no real OBJ
jec ton to the application is made by
the people, it looks to them as il any
objection they may make is voluntary,
and business prudence compels them
to take no responsibility the public
does not request of them.
IL must also bo borne in mind that
generally speaking, the majority OF
the members of our council are men
who have made a uccess OF the var
ious enterprises with which they are
connected. The time and experience
and Judgment are of Importance.
They spend a good deal of valunb bio
time and labor for the borough, free
of any kinu of compensation except
the severest criticism upon All act of
theirs that may conflict with any per-
sonal interest of some individual, or
the cherished notions of some less
experienced taxpayer. They cannot
be expected to voluntarily sui re-
sp~onsibilitios not asked Of them.
II it is desirabls to stop the increase
here of saloons, IL appears to us that
some earnest, courageous, intelligent
and persistent objection must be made
by those who seek reform on this
line. We think our council and our
court desire to follow the wishes OF
our people if il is only made to appear
that the DIRECTORS form respectable
u lumber of that class of our people
who want tile very best interests OF
our borough to be maintained.
Perhaps q good proof of the lack OF
interest and earnestness of our church
people in this subject is afforded by
the fact that not one of the ministers
of our various churches-except the
pastor of the church in which the
meeting was held-was present te
hear the unusually able and excellent
address of the talented speaker at the
ssion of the W. O. 7. u. county conven
tion held in our borough last week.
Some of the wise council and practical
suggestions of DIR. Wilding must bt
needed by out church people if real
and lasting success is to attend theii
efforts toward restricting the evils
Of our saloons. q
SAlO0N ROBBED.