The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-08-11
TUESDAY, AUGUST II, 1908

WHEN THE excise commission, which
was appointed by Governor Fort, decided
to visit Atlantic City, they fully expected
to discover a state of affairs that would
need correcting, but it is doubtful If they
had the slightest idea that the revelations
would be as amazing as they turned out
to be. The commission found what every
body has practically known for a~long
time, that the town was wide open
especially on Sundays. But the probers
were astounded to learn from the officials
OF the city and the county that there was
no use trying to enforce the bishops law
In Atlantic City, that the existing con-
ditions suited the people of the resort,
and that 1t would be ruinous to enforce
any law that win compel the closing of
Prosecutor of the Pleas frankly stated
that he had not taken any steps to en-
force the law against illegal liquor selling,
and that 200 or. 240 places were openly
and VIGOROUSLY breaking the law. Judge
Higbee said he had no personal knowledge
of violations of the law, he had never
revoked any licenses, never having been
asked to, and that he doubted very much
If grand jury could be drawn that
would indict the lawbreakers. The
Sheriff Of the county said he did not have
to hunt up business, and nobody had ever
called his attention to violations of the
liquor laws. He was very indignant
when it was uegested that he drew grand
juries to oblige political friends, but did
not attempt to explain why the names of
several men frequently appeared on the
list, one of them having served nearly
consecutively every term. The situation
appears to be that the law may be enforced
In every municipality in New Jersey with
the exception of Atlantic City, and the
latter place is immune because mine out
of ten of the residents are getting the
kind of government they want" This
may be so, but we do not believe 1t. 1t
is hard to think that ninety per cent. of
Atlantic City's residents want the law
openly broken. In referring to the sub
iect the atlantic City Press says: 'The
wonderful success and prosperity OF At
lantfc City is a story referred to as an OBJ
iect lesson all over America and even
among the capital centres of Europe. The
citizens of Atlantic City have demonstrated
their ability to run a town which must
have pleased the most critical" And how
has it been rum BY shamelessly winking
at law violation and allowing the statutes
of the state to be broken without restraint.
By allowing it 10 be known everywhere
that the town is "wide open" to all classes.
and by allowing immortality to go I'm
checked broadcast. To say that the thing
cannot be stopped is simply ridiculous
Race track grambling was stopped, even
though those behind it laughed at the eff
fort of those who desired change. Of
course If Judges, Prosecutors, Sheriffs.
Mayors and other public officials, openly
admit that they cannot or will not take
steps toward making an Improvement
then indeed the task Is hard. But other
officers might be secured who will do their
duty. There is saying "elect your
Sheriff and the law cannot harm you,
and it seems to be true in this case at
least But there are Sheriffs who have
been able to have the law respected, the
most notable being Sheriff Sommer, of
Essex. That county desired to be as
sswide open" as Atlantic City ever dared
to be, but Sheriff Sommer called a halt.
He was politician, he had friends In all
classes of business, but he knew them not
where the law was In question. His duty
to the state and county overshadowed
every other consideration. In Burlington
county the Prosecutor of the Pleas has
successfully prosecuted all cases of viola
lions of the liquor law that have come to
him, and our grand juries, even though
composed of personal and political friends
of the Sheriffs who have selected them,
have been men who have had regard for
into and true presentment made" in the
complaints set before them. A glance
over the criminal records of our courts
will show that many haye been indicted
for Illegally selling liquor who might
easily have expected to escape through
political or personal friendship. What
Essex and Burlington counties have done,
other counties can do, and Atlantic City
should be made to do. There is no reason
whatever why one city with more idea of
its own Importance than others have of it
should be able to openly defy the law that
the balance of the state is compelled to
rigidly enforce A Camden paper sug-
gests that the best solution of the problem
is 'local option in its broadcast, most
liberal character" By this we are prob
ably to understand that the focal option"
referred to is to allow communities to
vote on the question If 'open Sundays"
shall be respected. That may be all
right, but the important point just now is
whether the laws of New Jersey are or
are not of any account. There is one
moral in this affair that is worth remem-
bering, and that is to elect officers who
will do their duty fearlessly. The direct
primaries this year will give the people a
chance to have some voice In this matter.
The good people must take hand in con
trolling affairs.
CAN YOU BELIEVE YOUR SENSES ?
When two of them, taste and smell hav-
ing been impaired if not utterly destroyed,
by Nasal Catarrh, are fully restored by
Ely's Cream Balm, can you doubt that this
remedy deserves all that has been said of
1t by the thousands who have used it? 1t
is applied directly to the effected air
passages and begins its healing work at
once Why not get it to-dayf All drug |
gists or mailed by Ely Bros, 56 Warren
Street, New York, on receipt of so cents.
New Lisbon.
Girard Clark has gone to Absecon on
fishing trip.
Miss Katie Gray, of Columbus, is spend |
ing few days with Carrie Nixon.
Miss Susie E. Reeves. of Barnegat City, |
is visiting her cousin, Miss Ethel Reeves.
of this place.
Mrs johnson. who has been visiting her
brother, John Myers. has returned to her
home In Baltimore, Md.