The Penn's Grove record., 1908-11-13
The Local Option Vote Discussed

DEAR ClR.- !
One good turn deserves another. Your
kindness in receiving and conspicuously
placing my former communication en-
courages me to try it again on the same
general proposition.
In your last weeks editorial you make
comparisons and contrasts between the
votes of Plummer, Ridgway and the Bat
tens: l cannot figure it as you do. You
say:
'"Mr. Plummer's 234 votes over Taft re-
presents the local option democrats who
voted for him. Dividing by half shows
that there were III temperance demo-
Gratis who voted for Mr.. Plummer."
This appears to me to be- conflicting.
Why .divide". If 234 votes <er Taft
represents democrats who voVed for
Plummer," "It seems to me it shows
that 234, not III, temperance democrats
voted for Plummer.
| do not know if they are "all tenn
~perance" Democrats. Likely they are,
| but they at any rate are democrats that
| believe in majority rule. Nor do | think
that figure give the local option
democrats full credit by any means.
l nave no doubt but every saloon
keeper, hotel proprietor and would-be
beer bottles, and all their i~etainers
probably not less than a dozen each on
an average, voted direct Tor Schade be-
cause he was unpledged. A large share
of them are doubtless republicans. The
saloon forces would materially counter
work the local optionists. That being
the case, l believe that 500 votes do moi
represent the full democratic local option
vote.
You are right, I doubt not, in chasing
the 2432 Ridgway votes cas- good loca
optionists''. And these at least vii
stand for either side Of the partisan
fence. If the Democratic party OF Salem
) County think otherwise let them put i
, to the test next fall. But l would no
advise them to do as the Democrats di'
/ this fall.
5 As to sheriff. Albert Batten's extra II
9 l do not think should figure in the locs
t option contest at all. l am told that til
leaders in Salem, in view of the offic
being n%on-political, select the man the
e want irrespective of his politics and SUI
port him. Mr.. Batten being "a good fe
d low among the boys got a larger vol
q from the opposite party. His pluralit
+ over MIR. Schade being 23S, and owe
Bryan 80. From the local optionis
- stand point Mr.. Batten could not ha,
. been a "local op~tionists'' unless he W;
. running for the legislature.
9 You ask "did he get a vote from tt
Is 2432 Republican(O local optionists.
IL How do you make the 2432 votes cast Il
Mr.. Ridgway Republicans? Surely,
Plummer got 233 democratic votes, it
also fair to suppose that the 234 voted f
Ridgway? 1 beliye Ridgway got mo
vt democratic votes than Plummer for ]
e. was not the Republican nominee as W
v Plummer. Had he been his Eclectic
= would have been assured. I-give Iii
at least 800 of the 2432. Likely mar
= 'nors rev Of CrispeI's large vote
+. Joaa very mncn il tbe RECORD aou
= sfsad r> slle proposition that wli
, denloeEg as temD men, o, loo
o%ptionists, ale conscientious and couais
{ ,. : -%' ,I 1n1t ! was ioan local o9se in the
cast ello3 80! orc @-sar RI
| cont elect lon to pUs Il to a test. fl
| Mr.. Scha De come out for majority rule
! the saloc On, rs " hoped, he would ha
! had 3 "v '~alk-ove." as agsiast M,. Or
cen unpl, %dged, an3 local optionists YOU
have wori Ied equally as hard for his elt
ton as tbs y did 10 elect Plummer a,
Ridgway.
AS a matter y.of faet these Of ra WI
.A-o&;ot- IL g., NJ. q.