The Penn's Grove record., 1917-05-25
FRIDAY, MAY 25. 1917
JEHOVAH REIGNS
The Camp Meeting Association
Makes Penns Grove
Legally Dry

Line IMPLICATION u the GIChSA LUIGI
Company of which Horace Wilson, of
Wilmington, is president and Herbert
f. Stilser, secretary, to keep an inn or
tavern at the old stand at the foot OF
Main Street, Penns Grove, was heard
before Judge E. G. Waddington in Salem
Court last Monday. About seventy-tive
citizens of Penns Grove and Upper Neck
were present, most of them being the
"dry' advocates with a moral and eco
nomic motive for their actions.
The Hotel Company was represent
ed by attorneys II. B. Ware and /. o.
Acton, of Salem, and Charles j. Cogan,
of Gloucester. The remonstrances were
represented by former Judge Clarence
L. Cole, of Atlantic City; former prose-
cutor J. Forman Sinnickson, of Salem;
and S. Rushing Leap, of Bridgeton.
1t was agreed by the attorneys that
the property was within one mile of the
Camp Meeting Associations place of
worship and that the place for many
years prior to November 1915, had been
licensed by the court, that the former
proprietor, Col. Joseph G. French, has
no interest in the new corporation and
that the application was presented Who'll
ly independent of him. Mr.. Ware gave a
lengthy address on the continuation and
long time a licensed house and place of
being a tavern had existed. Col. French
had held a continuous license for nearly
forty years, year after year until it was
revoked by the court. AS soon as the
law would permit Edward H. Mayer
made application but was denied on the
ground that he was not the real proprie-
tor. There had been no intention to
use the place for any other purpose and
that this application was made as soon
as the law would permit.
Mr.. Cogan argued that it was the
place that was to be licensed because Of
the use, convenience and entertainment
of the travelling public and that it had
been and was a continuance place for a
licensed hotel. There had been no
break in that except as made by the
ruling of the Court. The Colonial Ho-
tel was a new building and a new appl-
can't had applied.
Judge Cole argued that the Court
should Immediately deny the application
because Judge Waddington had already
ruled in refusing a license to the Colo
NAL Hotel that he could not grant a
license within one mile of Penns Grove
Camp Meeting Associations place of
worship, which the law provides against
the same as it forbids the granting of
a license within 200 feet of a church
and armory. In doing so the applicants
should not blame the Judge. There grie-
vance was with the legislators who made
the law. He also said that the license
was not given to the building but to the
person, solely, not to his successors nor
- WI .1--z 111Ja "a
the license has to be transferred by the
Court and when he dies the license
ceases. To comply with the strict let
ter of the law there must be a on
tinuance of the license holder as well
as the continuance of the premises as
procribed by the law. There was no
continuance of the license, because there
had been hone for a year and a half,
and the application made was by a new
party and did not come within the
meaning of the law that a license could
be renewed where it existed, when the
Camp Meeting Association came into
existence.
Mr.. Cogan argued that the Legisla-
ture never intended to imply that when
a licensee dies the place no longer be-
comes an old-established stand and that
no new license or no renewal can be
granted because it is within one mile
of a camp Meeting Association.
Judge Waddington declared a recess
for half an hour while he considered the
points of law presented by the attorneys.
He returned to the bench at noon and
gave his decision. He said that the ap-
~plication did not come within the scope
of the Bishop act of 1896, as relating
to the renewal of a license within 200
feet of church edifce and armory, but
was in the meaning of the act which
forbids granting a license within a mile
of a Camp Meeting Association. To
sustain his decision he cited the decis-
ion of Judge Bergen in the case of Kidd
VS.. the Excise commission of the city
of Elizabeth.
Finally he said. I will grant no IL
cense in Penns Grove as long as the
Camp Meeting Association is in exis-
tence.
COMMENT
Many persons blame Judges for grant
ing licenses and making decisions which
differ from their opinions. They are
not aware of the fact that the Courts
are carried on by rules made by the
governing body, the legislature. If they
fail to obey the rules they are liable to
impeachment or more likely to be re-
moved by the political powers that be
when their terms expire.
At every session Judges see and pass
upon numerous cases of moral depravity
caused by the liquor traffic on weak
humanity in many cases more to be
pitied than condemned. Every close
student in law has learned how the
moral law has been enacted into civil
law as fast as moral sentiment and
principles ave been impressed upon the
minds of those who are elected to the
legislature.