The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-05-23
TUESDAY, MAY 70, 1911

WHETHER this county shall continue In
the old rut of being governed by Board
OF Freeholders or whether the improved
system of commission government shall
be installed is being discussed and 1t Is
probable the necessary petitions will be
circulated prior to the time set for their
fling. Outside of the membership of the
Board there is little objection to the
change. An effort was made to start the
movement last fall, but owing to feeling
on the part of some that the pushing of
the subject would have detrimental eff
feet on the important election then on
hand, the project was dropped, although
there had been secured nearly all the
signatures necessary to get the question
before the people. The only arguments
that have been advanced, thus far, are
that to abolish the present system will
take away local representation in county
affairs. and there Is no promise that the
new system will be an economical one
The local representation plea does not
amount to much, for locality does not
benefit much unless the proposition sup
posed to aid the township meets with the
approval of the resident Freebooter. He
must be satisfied first. As an instance,
take the action on the purchase of ballot
boxes. The business proposition was that
committee be appointed to purchase the
new boxes that the recent change in the
election laws requires. This would have
secured uniform boxes and good prices.
But there was quite howl at this idea
and the cry went up that the resident
Freebooter ought not to have this little
perquisite taken from him. and the motion
to appoint q committee was killed. In
connection with this action may be men.
toned the fact that several members were
absent when the vote was taken, and some
Of them have since admitted they were in
the Collectors Office, getting checks, and
that they should have been in their seats
when the vote was taken. In plain Eng.
hsh they were not attending to their duties
It Is not to be wondered that they want
to get away for the closing hours of the
Board are generally such as not to create
much interest. The windup of the last
session was anything but creditable to q
body Of men who are supposed to act in q
business-like manner. In discussing the
affairs of the county one Of the Freeholderi
could not talk of anything but bridges
and roads. The condition of the County
Clerks Office was cast aside with a wave
Of the hand. Grand juries, lawyers and
other citizens Of the county who have &
right to have the records in such shape
that they can use them when they desir,
to, have called attention to the bad shap,
many Of the records are In, but the BoarC
OF Freeholders persistently refuses to tax,
any action In the presmises. The County
Clerks office is paying its own expenses
and putting balance In the treasury, Blu
1t is not allowed to use that balance t,
improve the condition of the Office
Bridges must be built or repaired, road
must have money thrown on them, ballo
boxes must be purchased, and this take
money. If the commission system ha'
not been tried by other counties and de
clared success. then there might b
hesitancy In adopting it in Burlington
county, but the information given by thos
municipalities which have availed them
selves of the opportunity of trying to i'm
prove conditions Ia that under no circum
stances would they return to the old sys
tenn. One thing is certain, conditions i
this county could not be any worse tina
they now are and no harm will result fror
getting into the new system of count
government.