The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-09-08
ATLANTIC CITY
ANSWERS FORT
Business Associations Contro-
vert Arraignment by Governor
in His Proclamation.
FORTS ENCOMIUM Is CITED
Manifesto Declares Service of
Liquor with Meals on Sum
day Is a Necessity.
[By Telegraph to the star.l

tBy Telegraph to the Star.l
ATLANTIC CITY, Sept. THE
combined committee of the Board of
Trade. Hotel Mems Association and the
Business League, formed to reply to the
charges of Governor Fort on Sunday
liquor selling and gambling. which led
to characterize the city as a "hotbed of
vice." issued its statement today.
AS to Sunday liquor selling the COM
mittee states that the law against 1t
has long been dead letter through
out the State and liquor has been sold
openly on Sunday since Atlantic City
was founded, with the approval of
n: :uch the greater portion of her citi-
zens and her millions Of visitors
Atlantic City has been frank about
her violation of the excise laws, and
for that reason hopes that the Legisla-
ture will not permit longer to remain
upon the statute books in their present
shape laws so crudely drawn that in
their endeavor to prevent wrong they
without necessity have prohibited a
right which all consider is withou.
harm to anyone, and which is neces-
sary to the welfare of one of the States
principal industries. namely, its sea-
shore resort business.
The committee declares that gam
bling is practically unknown to At
lantic City,s 10,000.000 of annual visit
ors. 1t cites efforts to introduce gam
bling in recent years and states that
the ideal authorities have always Sue
cessfully opposed them The commit
tee says unquahfedly in conclusion
I'VE can only promise that the At
iantic City of today. the most popular
health and recreation resort in the en-
tire world. will be the Atlantic City of
tomorrow. with every effort lent toward
increasing and advancing her char
acteristic features and multitudinols
ATTRACTIONS"
The Answer.
y "Since Colonial times it has. been a
violation OF the laws of rNew Jersey to
sell upon Sunday Intoxicating liquors,
newspapers, ice cream, cigars soda
water and various other commodities,
which according to the prevailing ideas
in this State century and q half ago
were not necessaries Of life upon that
day.
This law has, of course, been
dead letter throughout the State ex-
cept that as to the Sunday sale OF
liquor there have been more or less
violations of it's requirements. surrep-
titiously or otherwise, accordingly as
the people of the various communities
have or have not approved OF such
sale
"Since Atlantic City was founded.
fifty-four years ago, liquor mas peeIl
frankly, openly and with the approvai
of much the greater portion or her citi-
zens and millions of visitors, sold upon
SUNDAYS exactly the same as upon
other days. except that upon sundays
music was prohibited in cafes. and
other regulations were observed TO
prevent such sale obtruding Itself upon
those To whom it was distasteful.
Here. as elsewhere, saloon abuses,
poljtical and otherwise, have creDt in,
and here, as elsewhere. the legitimate
hotel interests ESQ important in re-
sort entertaining each year 100000
of people from all parts of the country
are placed at grave disadvantage by
and made to suffer from the crude
legislation which does not distinguish
between regulating proper tnd neces-
sary use and prohibiting the. abuse
of hotel liquor privileges.
Drinks a Necessity.
"There Is great necessity thnt the
hotels which entertain the millions who
visit Atlantic City should be able to
serve such of these visitors as desire
such service. wines and liquors with
their meals in the hotel dining rooms
,,non Sunday as we'll as upon other
DAYS. Legislation to this END is
i. serious need for the welfare of Atlantic
c,ity. and this welfare. contributing as
i, does 100000 annually tdrawh
from without the State) to the COM
lnonwealth, is certainly an interest," OF
industry to he conserved and iostereu-
..The first week In August the EXCISE
commission came down and supstah-
tiallv demanded that the sale OF liquor
nm sunday should Immediately cease
rrbi. demand. coming as 1t did. Ill the
,.,,hst nj the summer season. after fifty
,,asrs, disregard with the almost uni
yoreaI acdliesence of the entire COM
,n,nitv and state. official and other
x,.;sn, of the Sunday closing law as ap-
'nlied TO Atlantic City, was not compiled
with The Grand Jury was apphed TO-
hut deferred taking action upon sun
dav selling cases and was discharged
IN consequence, and then the Governor
nm August 81. issued proclamation
demanding a complete closing the loi-
Lowing Sunday, which denahu WIS
complied with. ~ .n
unfortunately, during this contro-
versy expressions were used that CON
t,e,nd an impression which could never
have been intended. and which Is AT
entire and gross variance with tne rea,
~, rhe sobriety. good order and
aace,,t behavior of the immense throngs
which visit Atlantic City have ever
been considered and are her greatest
wonder Ladies by the thousand
walk unattended upon her boardwalk
at any time of day or evening without
els orc So carefully conducted that
they seem rather like select family
boarding houses than great metropoll-
tan hotels, which they really are.
Her amusen, ents are celan ana Tree