The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-01-11


district who voted at the last election
before the presentation of the petition
for the placing of the machine.
License and Excise.
Prohibition is not practical 1t does
not prohibit and will mot until a
| stronger and better public sentiment
shall obtain. The sentiment for local
showed much growth in some commu-
mites. That sentiment, however, is
probably not of sufficient force to Sc
cure legislation for submission of
the question of license or no license to
the people. Yet it is evident that the
public demand for the enforcement of
existing laws and for the enactment
of others looking to better regulation
of the sale of intoxicating liquors is
quite universal.
The license fees in most places in
| this state are not high enough.
| The following suggestions made in
my last annual message for the amend
ment of the excise laws are here re-
peated-namely:
|
should be fixed on the basis of the
population of the local municipalities,
provided that in no case should it be
less in any municipality than that at
which licenses are now granted in
such municipality, and each applica-
| ton for license should be advertised
once for at least ten days before ac-
ton is taken thereon that objection
may be made thereto and heard.
Second The number of licensed
places allowed should be limited to
not exceeding one for at least each
500 people, provided that no greater
number of licenses should be granted
in any place, where the present per
centage is greater than this, than the
present licensed places bear to the
population.
| Third.-A simple and definite form
of procedure to revoke a license for
the violation of the law with pro-
vision that a license shall be ipso facto
revoked on conviction of any crime or
on a plea of guilty or non vult.
Fourth. No license should be grant
ed to any person not native or nat
uralized citizen of the United States.
Fifth.-No license should be granted
| to a person who has been convicted of
any crime which would disfranch1se
| him under our state constitution.
Sixth.-All right to transfer license
from one place to another should be
prohibited.
Seyentb.-All licensed places should
be closed from II o'clock midnight UNI
I til a. III.
Law observation-disclosures of Removal
| In one of the counties of this state
the laws as to excise matters are open
| ly and VIGOROUSLY violated and a di-
rect refusal to enforce them asserted.
That such conditions exist is shock
ing to the conscience and patriotism
of all right thinking citizens. Yet I'M
der existing law there is apparently
no remedy. The state seems power
less. Local officials are free from re-
moyal by the governor or courts, even
for an open declaration that they will
not enforce the law. Nor is there any
power of impeachment of local mu-
nicipal official
The sacredness of the Sabbath, the
purity of the ballot, the virtue OF wo-
man, the protection of life itself, all
seem inconsequential when weighed
in the scale against the Illicit sale OF
| liquors.
| The legislature must assume respOn-
sibility for the further continuance Of
the conditions here described. 1t can
prevent it by simple statute confer
ring the power of removal upon either
the governor or the courts.
Employers Liability Act.
| Laws should be enacted abOlishing
| the fellow servant rule of the common
law and making the master liable for
all injury to his employees which does
not result from the contributory negli-
gence of the injured workman himself.
Injury through defective machinery
at which workman is placed at work
should also fall upon the master with
out regard to the fact that the work
man was aware of the defect or that
the risk was obvious.
| dlSO lCCOLlnCllU lnC AulhOi LOO tIQAA
Of the appointment Of commission to
consider the provisions of the British
and German employers liability acts,
to report to the next legislature with
draft of an act fixing definite sum
for specific accidents to employees,
which shall be deemed an express or
/ implied part of every contract Of en-
| ployment.
Inland Waterway.
The route of the proposed inland wa
terway has been approved by the gov
ernor under the statute and when COM
pleted, as contemplated, will furnish q
channel six feet deep at low water
from Bay Head, in Ocean county, to
Cape May City, in Cape May county.
1t is estimated that there are now
$4,000 crafts of various kinds, the own
ers of which are awaiting with anxiety
the completion of this waterway.
County Boards of Taxation.
The people of the state favor the
abolition of the county boards of tax
alton. Their existence is without ex-
cuse and always has been. Their OBJ
ject and purpose was solely to secure
an increase of taxable values so that
the average tax rate upon railway
| property might be reduced. They
have accomplished this purpose with
a resultant loss to the public school