The Penn's Grove record., 1905-03-24
Local Option For Townships

Since tile repeal of the county local
option law in 1889 thetemperance ques-
ton in New Jersey has been in a coma
tose state. BY the passage of that law
the Republican party gained prestige as
a temperance party. 1t was repealed
by the Democrats elected by Republi-
a voters. When the Democrats held
the Governor who appointed all the
County Judges who grant the licenses
every hotel and saloon sold "wicked
Democratic rum"
When the Republicans with their
temperance prestige and supporters
gained control of the State by e~lecting
Governors who appoint all the judges
better things were hoped for by the
earnest temperance folks. They have
waited now ten years. The Republican
judges license the same hotels who are
now selling as''wicked Republican rum,
as was ever sold under licenses granted
by Democratic judges, but you scarcely
hear a word whispered against that,
either in pulpit or press.
No set of men have been able to get
a Republican legislator to touch a tenn
perance bill with a ten foot pole, let
alone introduce one in the legislature in
the past fifteen years. The G. o. P.
still holds the prestige of local option,
and also the support of the liquor in
terest by granting the same licenses,
that the Democratic judges did.
Not for fifteen years has a temper
ance bill been introduced, until S. s..
Childs, Democratic Senator from Som
erset county, introduced a local option
bill a few weeks ago, which provides
for holding of special elections at which
the voters may decide whether saloons
may be licensed in a township. Such
elections are to be ordered by the court
on petition of forty per cent. of the vot-
ers, and if a decision is given in favor
of no licenses thirty days are allowed to
saloon-keepers in which to dispose of
their stocks.
The bill is truly democratic and just.
1t requires an exceedingly large per
centage of petitioners and a majority
must vote against granting licenses.
Now licenses are granted upon the pc
tition of twelve property owners.
A public hearing was given on the
Childs bill in Trenton last week, also
on Tuesday of this week the Anti
saloon League turned out in force and
gave irrefutable arguments why the bill
should be passed.
Rev. J.. Ward Gamble, of Trenton
urged its passage. W. B. Lippincott,
of Burlington county, said he repre-
sented the Friends who wanted the OPP
portunity to vote for or against licens-
ing of liquor places.
Rev. J. j. Wicker, of Trenton, said
the people had right to say whether
or not they should have licensed liquor
places or not and urged the legislators
not to stand as a bulwark for the pro-
lection Of the liquor minority.
Rev. E. A. Boon, superintendent of
the State Temperance Educational bu-
reau compared the liquor traffic to the
race track issue and warned the legisla-
tors that the day for temperance legis-
lation had arrived and could not be set
aside. Many others from different Sec
tions of the state supported the bill.
No one appeared in opposition altho
the President Of the State Liquor Lea
que had been invited.
If the legislature fails to pass this
bill, which is similar to laws in many
states, the Republicans should have no
further claim ON temperance people
who only ask that a majority of the vot-
| ers decide as to whether a license to
sell liquor is needed, instead of twelve
men.