The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-02-09

THAT county tax boards, as they now
exist, are doomed to go, is apparently
decided upon, but just what to do for a
substitute has not yet been determined.
The main idea in the minds of the legis
lators is to decrease the expense these
bodies are to the state, and to do this it
is proposed that the different counties
must pay the salaries. One of the propo-
sitions, and the one that seems to meet
with the most approval. is that the sal
aries of members be greatly reduced.
Their duties would also be correspond
iugly decreased, as they would not be
much more than commissioners of APP
peals sitting only to hear complaints.
The bill that is now being given mueh
attention would dispense with the scr
vices of a secretary. which in this
ty would mean a saving of 81 200 per
year. To make up for this n of the
three members of the county board
would act as secretary. 1t is proposed to
pay the members in counties of the
class of Burlington a salary of about
$500 each, the secretary to get twice that
amount. While it may be all right to
cut the salaries, the decrease as here
stated is rather too much of a drop.
There are some who want to abolish the
county boards altogether, and that is
not to be wondered at. 1t only needs a
glance at the valuations of property in
Burlington county before this system
went into effect and what they are now.
They are more just, more equal and
more properly looked after than I'VE be-
fore. The county boards should not be
discontinued, even though something
be done to reduce their expense.
MUCH interest is being manifested in
the bill which has been introduced in
the Legislature with the object of abolish
ing capital punishment. The substitute
for this penalty is to be life imprison-
ment. There are many people who have
long opposed the taking of life to punish
the murderer. Instances have occurred |
through conviction on circmstantial
evidence. If the sentence had not been |
death these men would have been freed
from the stain upon their name and an
ignominious death. Capital punish
ment has also defeated justice. There is
not the slightest doubt that two women |
who were tried in this county not many
years ago for murder, escaped the ga1lows
and all punishment because the death
penalty was the only thing in sight.
1t had to be a verdict of murder of the
first degree or not guilty and rather than
send m to the gallows the two were |
set free although some of the jurors have
since admitted they believed the accused
were guilty as charged. If life imprison-
ment was made to mean what it reads it
might be all right, but too often after a
prisoner has served a number Of years. !
sympathetic friends appeal to the courts
to release him and the life penalty is
thrown to the winds. This was clearly
shown in the case of the man convicted
in the Burlington county courts for kill
ing an old mi while at her prayers.
His sentence to be hanged was changed
to one of life imprisonment but he is now
free, the other sentence having been
thrown aside. AS a fact it is doubtful if
the death penalty restraints any one from
committing murder. The man who is
guilty of such a crime either does not
stop to think of the consequences, is
absolutely Indifferent to them, or thinks
he has SO covered his tracks as to avoid
detection. Possibly the abolishing of
punishment would be a good
but there should be some provis-
ion whereby life imprisonment would
mean just what it says.
WONDERFUL how time can make