The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-12
HEAD FEARS
REFORM HANDICAP
Mayor Riddle Of Atlantic City
Asks New Term on Wide
Open Platform.
Is STRONG FOR SALOONS

ATLANTIC CRY. y. j., Dec. 1i.-Mayor
Riddle is a candidate for reelection in
May and he does not propose to have
his chances sf reelection endangered by
uufounded suspicion that no favors re-
form.
His platform, freely translated. is:
Booze, gambling and "a wide open town
and to hell with the hypocrites."
Tn Mayor was asked to tell what
his administration has accomplished as
compare red with its predecessors, and
what his official career had taught him
about the needs OF Atlantic City.
We'll" he said. I'VE have saved $2b.-
600 in our annual lighting bill and have
had one-third more lights"
And Is this Il closed town now {" Was
asked.
NO. the town Is as open as u ever
has been. We drink as much booze as
ever. We have as many saloons as ever.
| dare say we drink more booze than
ever"
But the saloons close on Sunday? 90
was asked.
They ATE supposed to he closed but
we ave nothing to do with that-that's
not our fault said the Manor. The
law says thsy shall close"
"But isn't your Police Department
charged with enforcing that law"
"tI. In a way We are. but We don't
pay any attention to that. We have "A
prosecutor here who makes them close
Your idea is that they should not be
c,oscd?''
Certainly" said tine Mayor. the sa-
looms ought to be permitted TO open on
sunday. Let them keep open all night
so that a fellow can get a drink when
oyer he wants it,
And do you have segregation heie
was asked.
We used to have u segregated dis
trict. but not now
you abolished it then
mo, sir. we didn't" replied the Mayor,
These hypocrlticaI crusaders did. Now
we have no segregated wee distriC, We
have vice scattered all over the town
now. That's what we have got az the
result Of "A lot of fool ministers wiping
gu, the Red Light district. a. they call 81.
"Thes" ministers nave been raising
hell with me ali the time. One time they
even wanted me recalled. But they
can't recall me.
The whole secret IL that / am for
letting the people have what they want,
and so the people are for me. and there
is nothing like having the people with
you.
, Here last year when the town was
rather dull ! just casually remarked one
day as I was coming out OF n saloon that
the town was go dead that I thought IL
| would he a good idea TO advertise for
nifty chorus girls. twenty-five 1rize
fighters and ten gamblers to come in and
wake the town up. II was just a casual
| remark. not an official proclamation AT
ali. But the ministers went up in the
| air about ii FOR fair and gave me hell.
That's the time they wanted 20 recall
me"
"You were quoted once as having
made the statement that some OF the
best things you ever did In your life
were done when you had a couple Of
hiEhballs under your belt was sug
gested.
That's right. / said that" laughed the
Mayor. ooh. gee. didn't that raise a
rumpus. o night! All the pap r.
| took that up. oh, rats They make
me- tired. these people who talk about
stopping the niggers from shooting crap.
why. | would be shooting crap myself
II ! was a poor niger and ! couldn't
| afford 20 gamble In stocks, My business
is to be a partaker of uneirned mere
| ments. But everybody IL not fixed that
| way. The poor niggers are not. The
| only way they can gamble is 10 shoot
| crap, and why shouldn't theS 90