The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-08-29
Random Remarks.


1t will not be long before the steam
fire engines in Mount Holly will have to
be supplied with motors. 1t will soon
be almost impossible to get steamer to
apparatus will, not be available. The
chemical engines now in use are Of great
value In fires that do not need strenuous
action, but fire of any magnitude re-
quires steamer that can send powerful
streams. Popular subscriptions, fairs
and suppers have done much towards
securing the fire apparatus now owned
by the several companies. For the
chemicals the township did give good
amount Of money but it would seem as
if it was up to the people to provide the
town with proper machinery whereby a
fire may be reached quickly and be
COPIED with satisfactorily.
1t has been demonstrated in more
than one instance that women can fill
official positions to the satisfaction OF
the public they are serving, and that ID
why there are many people who are
gradually becoming reconciled to woman
suffrage. One instance of the capability
OF womanfis that where Miss Bessie
Townsend is serving as City Comptroller
Iof Atlantic City. She has held this
office for some time and when the new
Commission took charge there were ru-
mors that Miss Townsend would be
asked to step down in order that prac-
teal politician might have the berth,
This story was promptly set aside when
the new Commissioners were approached
about it. One Of them said: Miss
Townsend is easily the best Comptroller
we ever had and / am emphatically in
favor of her reappointment at any
time" The reports from Atlantic City
indicate that there will not be any
change in the office. Miss Townsend is
niece of George w. Slimm, of Mount
Holly.
While it is perfectly legal the man.
ner in which the waiver of indictments
is carried on is somewhat open to
criticism. There have been prisoners
brought into court who have signed
waivers of Indictment who have ad-
mitted that they did not know what
they were doing. In one instance the
prisoner signed the paper in blank,
but what appears to be the gravest
part of the business is the bringing
into court of child ten years of age
who has signed a waiver of indict-
ment and asked to be tried by the
court. Arraigned by the prosecutor
the youngster pleaded guilty and then
he was ready for punishment. Luck
| lily we have on the bench Judge who
does not approve of snap judgment
and who will not punish anyone unless
his guilt is clearly shown. The COM
mon law says that child under the
age of seven years cannot be convict
ed of crime, and between the ages of
seven and fourteen the prosecutor
| must show conclusively that the often
der knows the difference between right
and wrong. In the case in mind, that
of child in court on Thursday, the
fact that the boy aided in concealing
goods was possibly the evidence need
ed to show his knowledge of guilty ac-
ton but this was brought out by the
court, not by the prosecutor, and after
the entire story had been told the
Judge very properly ordered the boy
returned to his home. And this was
an instance of where Judge Lippin-
colt may be depended upon at all
times to see that strict justice is done,
not only to the defendant, but to the
public. The point that we take issue
on is that it seems farce to bring
a mere infant into court after he has
been induced to sign a paper that
someone has given him, the contents
: of which are as so much Greek to him.
Speaking of the work done by news
papers county official said he thought
3 a paper exceeded its limits when il
criticised, or as he termed it, "knock-
ed'' a community or a public official
l ne lclb lA1dJ q hOWoRAPOA oANN-A ~
:, hold rather than criticise. In this We
differ. It is the right, indeed it is the
duty of newspaper to take notice Of
anything that it thinks is detrimental
to the public welfare. If a public off
cial fails to do his duty or is incompe
: tent there is no reason why he should
be shielded any more than ther'
should be an omission in publishing
q offenses of the poor mortals who ar
: apt to get in trouble and sometime
find themselves in the strong arm o
the law. Ignorance may be the caus
q in one case, indifference to law and or
l. der in the other, 1t is publicity an
criticism that sometimes stirs an off
: cial to do his duty, provided ne
sufficiently competent to attend to
or is not too pigheaded to listen to ao
: vice that may help him. In any case
newspaper is perfectly justified j
- calling attention to anything that wi
aid in advancing the welfare of tn
community, even though such cours
10 may be termed knocking"
a Mnn~octnuyn