Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-10-24
To the Citizens and Voters OF
Holly Beach

ways voted the Republican ticket, IL
is right and proper that should state
my reasons for being the Independent
Candidate for Mayor of Holly Beach.
During the twenty-five years that l
have been a resident of Holly Beach
have never aspired to any office.
True, | was made chairman of the
school board 20 years ago and as such
was instrumental in purchasing the
first school property and building the
first school house. / have never held
any other office in this borough and
did not desire to become candidate
for office now. 1t was only after re-
peated urging of a number of my fel-
low citizens, who deemed change in
the Mayoralty, which has been held
by the same incumbent for seventeen
years, not only desirable, but because
of existing detrimental conditions, an
absolute necessity for the welfare of
the people of our borough, that l
finally consented to become candi-
date.
My petition as Republican Candi-
date for Mayor at the Primary Elec-
ton was duly filed with the Borough
Clerk. AT the same time the present
occupant of the Mayors office, lead
ing Democrat, also filed petition
with the Borough Clerk for Mayor for
the Republican Primary. He also
filed another petition as the candidate
for Mayor for the Democratic Primary.
Furthermore he signed a petition of
candidates for Democratic Delegates
to the Democratic County Convention.
AS Primary elections are strictly party
affairs, where a voter or signer of a
petition must belong to that party and
must have voted with the party at the
preceding Assembly election, it is
plain that candidate or voter cannot
affiliate with, and be both Democrat
and Republican at one and the same
Primary election. Yet this illegal pro-
ceeding by the present incumbent of
the Mayors vffice is matter of record
in the Borough of Holly Beach.
The day of registering for the Pri-
mary is two weeks before the election.
The Board of Registry and Election
may register legal voters on the day
of the Primary election and may pos
sibly allow them to vote at the Pri-
mary, but only after the Board has
ascertained and is fully convinced that
they are legally qualified to do so. On
the day of the Primary fifty-three were
registered and were allowed to vote.
There was not even pretense of draw
ing party lines as required by law at
Primary elections. Out of BAL votes
cast, 334 were Republican ballots and
but seven were Democratic. While
it is true that Holly Beach has Re-
publican majority, it is far from being
80 to l as shown by the last Pri-
mary election.
Preceding the Primary election, |
was approached several times with
offer of votes for a consideration, and
when l Indignantly replied that l did
not buy votes, that | would not pay
one penny for one or all the votes, that
| much preferred defeat to being elect
ed by fraud or the purchase of single
vote, [ was calmly informed that buy
ing votes was a regular practice at
every local election in Holly Beach,
that the custom had been fostered and
developed and carried on for years,
and that the runner for office had to
buy to get there. This condition /
found to be true. The closing hour of
the last Primary election, not only
gave color to this statement, but dis
gracefully confirmed the fact. The
will of the people of Holly Beach,
yes, the will of the people of all Cape
May county, was then and there
defeated.
In view of the facts herein presented
and also be ause of a petition numer-
ously signed by the legal voters of
Holly Beach, | have consented to be
the Independent Candidate under the
title REPU BLICAN ROOSEVELT
PARTY for the office of Mayor of
Holly Beach. And as such shall
strive by fair, lawful and honorable
effort, with the aid of my fellow citi-
zens to be elected. | enter this con-
test absolutely independent. | am un-
der no promise, allegiance or obligation
to any faction, clique, corporation, in
terest or individual. If elected | shall
know no master but the people. |
shall serve only the people and shall
devote myself solely to the interest
and welfare of the people and the ad-
vancement of Holly Beach.
Carl. A. Haswin.
Holly Beach, n. j., Oct. %, 'O6.