A Dry Idea for a Wet Day

The following item appeared in the Hopewell Herald, September 16, 1908. Do you know what the author is advocating? Even some of our oldest residents may be stumped. Leave your best guesses in the comments.

Mr. Swackhammer on Local Option at Harlingen

There was a large company of the friends of local option gathered in the Harlingen church Friday evening, the 11th, to listen to the Honorable S.S. Swackhammer speak for more than an hour on the timely subject of "Local Self-Government." The speaker has very strong convictions in the matter and succeeded in presenting a very strong argument therefor to his audience, who listened with undivided interest to the array of apt quotation, beautiful poetry, and personal experiences which enlivened his masterly address.

Certainly, as the speaker said, New Jersey does not occupy an enviable position on this question of local option, standing as she does in the ranks with Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah without any law granting to the people the right of protest in this traffic which has proved such a demoralizing power in our state.

The movement in Somerset county is spreading. Hillsborough Township is to be organized. A meeting will be held in the chapel of the Millstone church Friday evening, the 18th, at which an able speaker will set forth the claims of local option.