Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-15
BIZ a star Correspondent

BfN NEIL1. n. j" June 10.
Mayor TON" Lee says liquor agitation
has been a stone around the neck Of Bev-
erly's progress for half a century, If Mayor
Tom is right, Beverly is in for some more
setbachs
The "drys," after a reign Of a year. have
lost out, The new city Commission has
granted three liquor licenses not without
struggle. The drys decided today to ask the
State Supreme Court to revoke the licenses.
Mayor Lee says the legal battle will drag
out for months and when the sAioke clears
away the "wets" will be where they are
now-on top.
The prohibitionists assert they will win,
and say that soon as they do they'll
start proceedings against the head Of the
city by the recall" route provided under
the commission government charter.
Half Of Beverly has morals as black
as a tar pot. The other half Is as pure
as the driven snow. Which is which? It's
All according TO whom you talk to.
DRYs' CONTENTION
Chief of the legal points on which the
Try side is seeking to knock out the grog-
series is one provided by a New Jersey law
n 1896, which prescrihes that within a
nne-miie zone around camp-meeting
grounds there shall be no license granted
10 new applicant.
Beverly has the camp-meeting grounds,
ture enough They are right in the heart
~ the city, If the Supreme Court reads
ne law as the 'prohibs" see it, the licensed
III be annulled But the Mayor and Ed
'Sin Perkins, the out-and-out wet" COM
missioner. aver that the applications
granted by their votes are not new ap-
plications" but renewed applications of
former license holders.
Mayor Lee adds the interesting charge
hat the camp meeting association is a
piece of trickery born of hatred of saloons
md not Of love for the Lord. OF course,
he camp-meetIng folk deny this.
Last month, on the night before the cleo
ZION at which the new commissioners were
shosen, Beverly was saturated with a
brewery slush fund, dry leaders allege
Mayor Lee puts IN an unequivocal denial.
Prohibitonists say the town was filled with
drunkenness on election eve, The Mayor
knows nothing about IT, but he is willing
to declare that arrests for drunkenness
ran as high as nine in twenty-four hours
IN the last few months
Taking II altogether, Bevery's air is
highly charged with attacks and counter
attacks, vituperation and denias. Liquor
license and licenses are the conversational
themes
WHEN LEE RESIGNED
Two years ago a a.referendum vote showed
majority of Beverly's voters favored
iiduor Mayor. Thomas Lee, then a COM
missioner resigned because he said he would
not vote against the will of the ma iorty
and could not conscientiously vote for IT,
A successor was elected Then Mayor
Joseph Hahie moved to Baltimore and re-
signed his office. Two city commissioners
were left-Dr. James V, Roberts and the
Rev. William 7. Snead. Doctor Roberta
is former Mayor and for nineteen years
has been a city leader and frequently an
office holder. Mr.. Snead at one time was
rector of st. Stephens Episcopal Church.
but resigned his pastorate and went into the
hardware business, the result, so the story
goes. Of being too progressive" TO suit
his Pensioners.
The two commissioners were hopelessly
at "loggerheads" They couldn't agree on
q successor for Halle and they couldn't
get together on the rum question. So the
towns three licenses lapsed and the new
applications went by default.
STAFF OF FOUR BARTENDERS
The only haven of moisture was the
Maple Shade Hotel, or Mounts saloon, 8"
south Of the railroad tracks and hence
beyond the limits Of Beverly and out OF its
jurisdiction. Seventy-fve per cent Of
Mounts trade came from Beverly, accord
ing to Mayor Tom. Mrs. Emily V. Street
secretary OF the w, c. T. o.. says Mounts s
bar was besieged by hordes that four bar
tenders had all they could do TO pass out
the beer and whisky craVed by the thirsty.
Last month brought the chance 10 break
the commission deadlock. Mayor Lee was
elected by the greatest majority I'm years.
He had not declared himself on the liquor
question and he got votes from both fac
ins, the Wet, ran next with 259 votes,
while Morris r. II. Levin, Dry polled 231.
Levin is an official Of the Beverly Under
wear Company, OF which Frank w Thach-
er, his brother-in-law, is president Levin
says he takes drink when he wants TO,
but saloons are bad for factories Lee, on
the other hand. although he is the man
whose vote gave the licenses. Is an abstainer
by habit and says he voted to carry out
the expressed will Of the majority.
y Perkius's vote being higher than Levin's
Il Interpreted as proof Of the majority's
Wish for licensed saloons OF the also rams
fhe other pro-liquor candidate led the anti
Tnm candidates
LICENSES GRANTED
on Tuesday night the new commission
held It's first meeting. IL sat as a court tc
pass on license applications, Lawyers fol
each side argued The commissioner
tfanted bar licenses 20 Edward catteTal
and Buohl 4 cantreli and a bottlers license
fo Robert Adams
me Rsv. Arthur Phillips, Presbyterian