The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-08-31
ATLANTIC CITY To
ASK LOCAL OPTION
TO THWART FORT
Governors Excise Edict Obeyed,
but Liquor interests Will
Seek Legislative Relief.
HOTEL OWNERS TO MEET
BIG POLITICIANS TONIGHT
COwed, but Lashed to High Pitch
of Indignation by Executives
War on Sunday Trade.
Especial to the Evening star.I

Especial to the Evening Star.1
ATLANTIC CITY, Aug. 31.-Governor
Forts successful effort 4, close up
every drinking place in this city yester-
day has already resulted in the launch
ing Of the most powerful campaign ever
inaugurated in this State for a revision
Of the liquor laws.
A meeting of some of the most power
full politicians of this section of New
Jersey and the hotel owners, represent
ing many millions of dollars in invested
capital, will hold their first meeting here
tonight and the campaign for demand
on the next Legislature for local op-
ton law in place of the present excise
law will be definitely planned.
Governor Fort was said to have been
here In person all day yesterday, direct
ing corps of detectives and inspectors.
That he was here was confirmed by the
hotel keeper who furnished him rooms.
The State sleuths were instructed not
to close any saloons which might be
open, nor to arrest any of the violators,
but to obtain evidence, if it existed,
which would have warranted the Gov
ernor in calling the extra session of the
Legislature which he had threatened in
his public proclamation of last week.
1t is conservatively estimated that the
220 places which are regularly licensed
to sell liquors lost s5O, 600 by their closing
yesterday. Sunday has always been the
big day. and this was the fourth Sunday
In fifty-four years in which the places
were closed.
But that does not include all of the
losses. Sunday has always been the
great day at the resort, but the news
that the saloons would be closed yes
terday resulted in only a small frac-
tion of the regular Sunday crowds
coming here. Hotels, boarding houses,
restaurants and others lost large profits
through the strict enforcement of the
law.
VIII Appeal to Legislature.
One of the most important hotel
owners, who has several millions of
dollars invested and who is prominent
in the political affairs of the county,
today voiced the sentiment which pre-
walls here among those who object to a
soldered lid when he said to THE
EVENING STAR correspondent:
"If the people want dry Sunday
we are wiling to obey; but it IS unfair
for us to have other towns where con-
ditions are different decide for us. 1t
is no more just than it is to have our
wet votes put saloons into a quiet
little town where the citizens do not
want them.
I'VE will appeal to the Legislature
when it meets In January, and have
high hope of obtaining some sort of re-
lief" he said. 1--WE will work for the
passage Of local option law, which
will put the question squarely up to
the people of the city and county. We
have been keeping open in the past as
the result of public sentiment, which
we believed to be in our favor. If we
are wrong VIC are willing to abide by
the decision of our own people. The
permanent closing of the saloons and
hotel bars unquestionably would hurt
the resort, and none of us want to see
that
A bulletin posted at police headquar-
ters reads:
SALOONS all closed. No troops in
town.
Another bulletin, officially signed by
the chief of police, consisted of card
on which was printed:
"In 1861 it was hold the fort. Today
it's Fort holds you"
One hundred and eighty license hold
ers, members of the Royal Arch Asso-
citation of Liquor Dealers, cooperated
with the authorities in seeing to it that
the whole 200 licensed dispensers of
liquors kept the law.
boardwalk Cafes Deserted.
1t was the tamost Sunday Atlantic
City had ever seen. Boardwalk cafes
that on Sundays past had been
thronged to their utmost capacity
serving liquors and food, were all but
deserted. White-aproned walters stood
idly by vacant chairs surrounding the
once cozy little tables and thought re-
Rretfully of the gala Sundays that
were gone.
A visit during the height of the
afternoon crush on the boardwalk to
one of the most widely known cafes
facing the famous seaside thoroughfare
disclosed the fact that not a single pa
tron was in the place.
The gay night scenes in the cafes
and the music and the singing were
perhaps missed more than any other
feature.
Insured Against the Drought.
Many provident ones-not the Sun
day visitogs-laid in their supplies on
Saturday for dry" Sunday. Many
of these had cases of wet goods sent