Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-11-09
LICENSE APPLICANTS WARNED.

The excise board adds insult to injury by
granting a license for a new place at Amboy
and New Brunswick avenues. In the face Of
an election at which the people chose an en-
tirely new set of commissioners, the majority,
If not all of whom stand for fewer saloons and
reform in the manner of conducting those al
ready existing, the present board deliberately
deles public sentiment and goes on adding to
our already large number Of drinking places.
Evidently this board is determined to live up
to its reputation of pledge breakers to the
last.
A more discredited body Of men never went
out OF Office than those who have had charge
OF the excise affairs of the city for the past
three years. If it is the purpose of the pres
ent excise board to railroad through a number
Of new applications during the last few months
that they are In power, the EVENING NEWS
would sound a warning to those who receive
new licenses that they may not place their
hopes too high.
The excise board that will take Office the
first of January has allowed the impression to
be gained without contradiction that they are
in favor of reducing the number of drinking
places in this city. On this policy they re-
ceived a majority of the votes and, therefore,
they are justified in believing that the people
want fewer and not more drinking houses.
This being the case, the new excise board will
be justified in refusing to renew any licenses
that are granted by the present board between
the time of the election when the people ex-
pressed themselves, and the time when the
new board takes Office. Therefore, while this
new license that has been granted for a place
at Amboy and New Brunswick avenues may
be in effect for a year, provided it keeps
within the law and gives no legitimate reasons
for having the license revoked before the ex-
piration of that time, the proprietor cannot
complain if his application for a renewal is re-
fused. The same thing is true of any new Ii
cense that may be granted between now and
the first of the year.
The matter Of granting a license is entirely
at the discretion of the excise board. While
the law will not permit the closing Of all the
saloons, if the board is satisfied that there is
no public demand for a place it can be closed
without further reason. AS there are already
four drinking places within a stones throw of
the place that got a new license Thursday
night, and as the residents of that immediate
vicinity opposed, almost unanimously, the new
place, the excise board will be justified in
closing its doors at the first opportunity.
There is not a location in the city where this
same reason could not be used for refusing the
renewal Of any new licenses that may be
granted in the last days of the present excise
board. Therefore, all applicants for new Ii
censes should hesitate about the investment
they make in equipping a place, because the
warning has been clearly given that they are
liable to have the license revoked when appli-
cation for renewal is made, if not before.
The new excise board has many difficult
problems on its hands. It will receive crit
cisms no matter what stand it takes. The only
thing for the commissioners to do, therefore,