The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-01-29

-
such place as Mount Holly legally. SO it
seems time for us to be getting on the
map"
AMONG the questions being considered
in this state is that of substituting Com
missioners for Boards of Freeholders.
There has not been any general discussion
of the subject in this county, although |
there have been many talks on it In va
rious localities. The objection to start |
ing public movement is caused by the
fact that there is a referendum attach |
ment whereby the people must vote on
the question before it can be finally set
tied. While there are several members of
the Burlington County Board who are
willing to have the change made, there
are others who are not ready to acquiesce,
and the result would be fight at the
polls and a possibility of defeat. The
system is not new. as it has been adopted
In other counties, and the reports are that
the localities which are working under it
have been greatly benefited financially.
That leads to the impression that if the
substitution of Commissioners is so pro.
ductive of good results. the Legislature
should take the initiative and pass bill
making the new system obligatory. A
step in this direction has been taken,
bill with that result in view having been
introduced. How far it will get remains
to be seen. The Neoark Nesos says on
this subject: when the people of any
county know what Is good for them and
will not do it, then pass law to compel
them to do SO. This is the gist of bill
already prepared. making the new Free
holder law mandatory upon every county
in the state. The Strong act, as it is
for referendum, whereby the voters of
any county may, If they SO desire, abolish
their old Board of Chosen Freeholders
with its twenty or thirty members, and
organize new board with five or seven
members. Four counties. Hunterdon,
Middlesex, Monmouth and Passaic, have
adopted the law and have saved from
$40, 900 to $100,000 year since. Mercer
tried to adopt it, but the voters were
against it. Somerset failed for the same
reason, and SO did one or two other coun
ties. Now 1t is proposed to make all the
counties adopt the small board system, by
mandatory act of the Legislature. 1t
seems strange that people are SO back
ward In adopting measures that have
been tried and proved good, but the rea-
soma are mainly political and personal.
The old Freeholders have friends who
want to keep them In Office, hence they
will vote against the new law. Partisan
political interests also interfere and local
prejudices have their weight"
AMONG the sensations of the Senatorial
contest was the publication. last week, of
an affidavit made by ex-Assemblyman
Holman, of Ocean county, In which he
averred he had been approached, during
the former contest in which Senator Dry
den was successful, by man who repre-
sented himself to be an agent of the Sena,
tor, and who offered Holman first S., 900
and then $40, 900 to cast his vote for Mr..
Dryden. The statement has the solemn
oath of Mr.. Holman attached to it, vet
many persons have been led to wonder
why there has been sudden awakening
at this late date. The name of Mr.. Dry
den has not been suddenly sprung upon
the people. but 1t was before the voters |
prior to the primaries and there has been |
open discussion about the candidate since |
the election. hence 1t would have been
just as easy for Mr.. Holman to have made |
his charge prior to ithis time. Another |
thing that does not look well is the fact |
t hat the gentleman named as offering the |
money is dead, and cannot defend the &C |
cusation. If the motive of this latter
day confession was to injure the chances
of Mr. Dryden. 1t certainly went far from
the mark, and has, like boomerang, re-
turned to smite the thrower.
On the other hand the supporters of the
candidate for United States Senator have
not shown the best judgment in some of
their publications. The State Gazette,
which is thick and thin Dryden support
er, in an editorial on Saturday. made an
unwarranted attack upon Senator Brad
ley, of Camden. whose name has been
mentioned 10 connection with the office of /
Senator in the event of Mr.. Dryden being
unable to make it. The Gazette asks:
Gould Colby and the men who are CD.
posed to Mr.. Dryden consistently tie UP
to or vote for William ]. Bradley, know
ing that he Is now, and always has been,
closely allied with the interests of the
Railroad Company, whose
bidding he has always been willing to
obey eyer since he became a member of
the house of assembly,"
This is an unjust statement. Senator
Bradley has been in the Legislature since
1898 and is now serving a second term In
the Senate. He was President of the lat
ter body portion of one term and the
full period of the next year, and was the
presiding officer of the House of Assem-.
bly, two terms. And up to date this Is the
first time that his good name has been at
tackled. Under some circumstances it
might be well to take special cognizance
Of this insiuuation against Senator Brad
ley, but those who know him and who
have watched his course, know him too
we'll to allow for one moment suggestion
that he has been led by the nose by any
Observation-Disclosures or corporate. The
charge of the State Gasette will take place
with the Holman confession.s
Columbus.
Mrs. Israel Kerlin and daughter Marion
spent last Friday with friends at Trenton
E. D. Erhart has been appointed tempo
AIRY station agent at Riverton.