The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-03-21
Political Nntes

~ The Legislature practically completed
y its business last week, coming back thil
/ week to finish up some leftover worl
. and to be in position to take care o.
: some vetoes that are expected to come
= in. The nominations of prosecutors o.
the pleas for Gloucester and Cape May
: counties were not confirmed, and they
will probably. be allowed to quietly rest,
: Ii this action is taken the Governor
may make appointments that will hold
only until the next Legislature meets,
: and the men whose confirmation has
been refused cannot be named foF the
vacancies. The action in uot approving
the appointments is not pleasing to the
Governor, who suddenly deprecates the
playing of politics, evidently forgetting
that he has played that game from the
| start.
Possibly we took too much notice of
the attack by Sleeper, of the Palmyra
NeaOs, upon county clerk Knight, but
we have received word from prominent
people in the county, commencing the
stand we took and saying that Mr..
Knight, if elected a delegate to the
national convention, will be responsible
to his party and not to any "bull
moose" advocate. Sleeper says his
letter to Knight was not personal, but in
view of past events, that assurance can
be taken for what it is worth. Prating
loudly about the principles involved,
Sleeper says in certain events he would
be pleased to give knight any support
! possible. This certainly clinches the
matter. The county clerk has had fair
sample of what the support or opposi-
ton of the Palmyra man, under indict-
ment for libel, is worth.
While demanding that Harry L.
Knight shall pledge himself on the sub
ject of a Republican candidate for Presi-
dent, editor Sleeper, who does not claim
to be member of that party, but ac-
knowledges his fealty to the Progress
sives, accepts with serenity the fact that
the delegates to the convention of that
faith, elected last week at Trenton, are
"purposely unpledged." The editor says
the convention which elected the dele |
gates was noticeable for the absence of |
scheming politicians. Perhaps. The |
same item in which this statement was
made says that County chairman A. |
:. l.. Doughty, who got out of sick |
bed to attend, gracefully favored Hon.
George Wilkes, that old war-horse of
sound principles, who was elected dele
gate from this DISTRICT and who, ac-
cording to the editor. was "purposely
unpledged."
Recognition of the 'big brother
movement inaugurated by the Elks
lodge in this country wasofficially given
in New Jersey, when Governor Fielder
signed the bill intoduced by Assembly,
man Wolverton, of Camden county, to
carry out the idea The plan of the
Elks is to do something to reclaim
young persons, either male or female,
who happen to fall into the ways of pet
ty crimes. At the present time, when
youngster is convicted of an offense in |
the criminal courts, the record of the Of
tense and conviction stands perpetually,
no matter what the individual may do
to atone for the offense. Under the
Wolverton bill. now law of the state.
all court rt cords of such character will
be expunged within two years after a |
juvenile or first offender has completed |
the jail or other sentence imposed by the |
trial court. In cases where the offender
is placed on proba ton, the record shall |
be expunged as soon after the expiration |
of the probationary period as the in
dlvidual has shown sincere reforma- |
ton. The main object Of the "big
brother movement is to encourage juve-
nile and first offenders to lead proper
lives after they have paid the penalty |
for such minor offenses as they NAV be |
convicted of.
The appointment of Joseph L. Thorn
as to be member of the Burlington |
County Board of Taxation seems to
meet with general approval, the only
exception taken to it being the fact that |
the appointment puts the membership |
Of the Board entirely along the river,
with two members almost within stones
throw of each other Against this, how
ever, is the fact that Mr.. Thomas is
well qualified for the Office and his ap-
pointment elevates the position to a !
standard it should occupy There is
much speculation as to how this select
ion was made as it came as surprise to
many. 1t was known for a long time
Mount Holly would not be favored. The
editor of this paper, who had been men
toned. was not looked upon favorably /
by the Governor, who has about as
much love for us as we have for him.
Walter T. Stewart, who has held the
office for three years, was not acceptable
to the Senator, who had the stamina to
assert his opinion and to stick to the
stand taken. He informed the Cover
nor that the latter would be held respon-
sible for the appointment of a member
of the Tax Board and incidentally spoke
little piece on some OF the other ap-
pointments made by the Governor. So
the chief executive decided to cut Mount
Holly off the tax map, took the list of
names which was presented to him,
made the selection, and he could not
have done better.