Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-08-02
BRUnSWICK'S
EXCISE FIGHT
|SPOSTPONED
Special to the EVENING NEWS.

a battle In the excise fight which
has aroused public opinion to white
neat, was postponed by common
council last night until next Monday
night, owing to there being some
question as to the legality of action
upon the ordinance repeating the
present appointive excise board in
asmuch as five years time has not
elapsed since the law was put into
effect in this city. The five years
does not expire until next Sunday
night, the ordinaRce for an appoint
i've board here having been adopted
on August Z, 1905.
1t developed at the meeting, how
ever, that Alderman Ridgeway, a
member of the license committee.
knew nothing of the proposed ordi-
nances prior to their introduction.
and he took the other members of
the committee to task for their dis
courtesy and voted against them.
Two big petitions were presented
against a change from an appointive
to an elective board, one signed by
900 voters Of every ward which
John N. Carpenter presented,
and the other signed by 700
women and secured by the local
branch of the w. CT. U. for whom
Rev. DR.. j. w. Marshall spoke.
Mr.. Carpenter said the present
board had reduced the number of
licenses, had increased the fee and
removed the undesirable dives.
There were less DRINKS and the city
and county were thus saved expense.
Nv q nhnnUn nn1jtior tA oou4es. -
tent would control the situation and
the result would be a system worse
than that when common council
granted the license. A majority OF
the saloon keepers favored the pres
ent system and public opinion was
generally opposed to a change as
shown by the big petition. An elect
i've board would be a step backward.
Alderman Peter Kinney asked Mr..
Carpenter if he knew of any deal in
this matter. He had heard Mr.. Car
pender had referred to a deal at a
meeting held by the church people.
Mr.. carpenter replied that he had
stated that he heard there was a
deal back of 1t, but further than that
he knew nothing. Alderman Kinney
said he was a party to no deal.
DR.. Marshall, in presenting his pc
tition, spoke upon the great mass of
people here who favored letting well
enough alone. The board had prob
ably never had public opinion so
pronounced in a matter before as it
had nov declared itself. He refer
red to Camden being dissatisfied by
changing back to an elective board,
and to the good order here on the
Sabbath day because of conditions
being as they are.
POLITICALLY, l am a republican"
said DR.. Marshall, addressing the
republican members particularly.
But If you republicans disappoint
us there are independent. republi-
cans and Independent democrats,
and something might come to pass"
Alderman Ridgeway made the mo-
ton to take up the two ordinances,
one repeating the present appointive
bo.rd and the other providing for
the election Of a new board at the
next election, and Alderman Good
win seconded it. Mr.. Ridgeway said
the ordinances were introduced on
the night of July 5, in his absence.
He understood 1T had been said the
ordinances emenated from the IL
committee. He was a member
Of that committee and was not
aware of their existence and he did
not leave this city until 8 o'clock on
the afternoon of July 4. He had
been given no notice of the fact that
they were to be introduced but in
asmuch as they had passed first and
second reading, he moved that they
be taken up on third reading.
Alderman Curran said he had in
troduced the repeater ordinance per-
sonally but the other ordinance had
been introduced by a majority of the
license committee, of which he is
chairman. Alderman Charles Tin
dell is the other member outside of
Alderman Ridgeway.
Alderman Tindell raised the point
as to further action being illegal at
this time. Alderman Ridgeway then
held the action already taken was il
legal and he moved to withdraw
both ordinances. Alderman Holman
amended this by a motion that ac-
ton be deferred one week. This
was carried by a vote of nine to
four, those opposing being Aldermen
Goodwin, Hartmann and Weigel,
who voted against the ordinances at
their first introduction and Alder
man Ridgeway. 1t looks as If the
ordinances will be passed finally by
a vote of Z to 6. Mayor John j..
Morrison will probably veto them
and action may be delayed until too
late for the next election.
sss a.