New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-30
JERSEY LIQUOR MEN DAZED.
THE wERTs LAW DISASTROUS TO THEM.
FORCED TO PAY THEIR UNExPIRED LICENSES
OVER AGAIN OR QUIT THE business
DEMOCRATS BLUNDER INTO Sc
WERE TEMPERANCE ACT.

Trenton. y. j., May o0.-It is now understood that
all liquor licenses In New-Jcrscy were made void by
the WeHs Liquor Law OF 1899, and that from May
20, every dealer whose license Is dated before that
time has been doing Illegal business II he has sold
drcr The discovery Is said to have boon made by
the City Counsel OF Newark and to day an examna-
don Of the law by able counscllors confirms the dread
certainty of the conclusion. Tho legislature with
clear Democratic majority IN both houses, and with
Democratic Governor, oponed It's session with frank
acknowledgment that the success Of the party was
duo To the action Of tho brewers IN behalf of the Dem
ocrstic candidates All through the StaN tho power Of
the liquor element had been exrrtcd for the benefit
of these men, and when they met at the State House
In January they proceeded to hccp their promises
well they knew how BllS 20 repeal the Re.
publican law OF 1885 introduced at once and
the struggle TO do every thing that the brewers wanted
was begun. The President Of the senate. Mr.. WertS,
introduced the bill that desired; Ex-Governor
Albeit the counsel Of the brewers. In attendance
the brewer George W. Wiedenmayer himself an
Assembyman; half a dozen other Asscmblymen dis
unctly declared that they represented the saloon
Keepers and brewers OF Essex and Hudson counties
two country tavernkeeprrs represented the County Of
Warren, and Gottfred Kruger the brewer, the
presiding spirit at conferences. The bin made
law by party vote, after which declared
TO be indelibly dlsgraccful
The brewers and Saloonkerpcrs have been showing
for two months what they have gained by the Dem.
Ocratlc Legislature. Tho Wcrts act !s probably the
most stupidity drawn enactment that the statute
books of New-Jersey have secn The
reasons are sufficient. The complaint OF the saloon.
keepers that the license OF $50 was too high WA
ignored in the first place. Local option was re-
peacd II Is true, but the country dealers have found
that the Legislature inserted species OF township
option which was not much better. In their opinion
These things were Disappointing enough; but they
were not blundeH, and the blunders arc the
source OF complaint A couple OF weeks ago IL
was discovered that By a bit Of amazing clum sIness
the new law forbade sales by the quart by retail
dealers The gruwler7 trade Is a principal part oi
the business Of many dealers and this provision crushed
them They said, when they hal recovered their
breath: Then wen tako out two lccnses7; ; but the
courts promptly declared that this could not be done
for hero again the deficient and ty blundrrs
In expression had forbidden from doing a retAn
and wholesale business. Next, II wa discovered
that all the bo,crs take out licenses that the
groceries could not sell pint bottle. but must sell
full quart over, none at ALL thus making the
pint bottle OF clsrct of liquor illegal And II
has gone on, untll the hnai crash has come, and all
existing licenses not granted since May ~ are do
clarcd to be void.
II appeas that under the construction OF the Law
which has the support Of rcpeated pro erntS in this
and other states the repeal Ui the law OF lssS put
end Ia all licenses granted under II. The repeal
absolute and the puys.uR 0i iHe OF lros that
all ca, ung licenses should continue for term for
which they We're granted were omitted entirely. The
licenses are granted at any time but IN the majority
OF they begin take effect In the spring. How
many aHsotnd only separate inysstigston viii
show; but a man who tnoE out his llcrnsn on May
10 last evidently In the boat he who took
Both will havo 10 pay $3.50 to conuIue In business
under the new art Ihis means thousands Of dollar'
csnses Ss o ptSs s,,oan E,cnrs Their "aIv seaps
would be the failure Of Ihs Exoiso BOartS tn ounr16
lust tho same.