The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-20
RYERSON COMMENDED.
Rev. A. s. Biddle Blames Liquor,
Politicians and the Voters for
the Brennan Tragedy.

The little Summit Avenue United
Presbyterian Church was crowded to its
tmost capacity yesterday when the Rev.
Arney s. Biudle seated himself behind
the pulpit. The clergyman had an.
nounced that he would discuss the recent
Brennan tragedy.
Policeman Ryerson was vindicated In
the discourse, ana the blame was thrown
equally upon the liquor dealers, to the
political party in power and the public at
large. The preacher took his text from
Kings, IT,, $40. "Who Slew Ali Thesew
''This question:" the clergyman said.
was asked by Ahab when he arose in
the morning and found the heads of his
seventy sons. covered with blood, scat
tered around the gate. 1t was indeed
CHASTITY sight-a sight almost beyond com
prehension. bat still more ghastly is 1t to
see the thousands who are going down
to ruin every year.
The recent Brennan tragedy was q ter
rible affair. Just think OF that man and
woman going unbldden, unprepared, in to
the presence of their God. This case is
not the only one kind that has occurred
in our country. In years past such
things have occurred freque ntly. and
isn't it because OF drink : Statistics show
that 1000 persons every year in our land
are slain by the power of drink.
In the case Of the Brennans we may
ask, Who hath slain ali these Was It
the policeman No: not directly. We
must acknowledge that he fred the fatal
shot, but he cannot be held accountable
for their DEATH
THAT policeman was in the perform
ance of his duty. We pay them to pro-
tect our lives, and frequently. as in this
case, they are assailed on all sides. They
risk their own lives to save others. II is
their duty. In my opinion policemen
are deserving of the greatest respect. 1t
Is apparent from the accounts Of that hor-
rioie affair that Ryerson is not u coward.
IL he had not answered the calls for help
that morning he would have been
branded coward. He did his duty and
did 1t well.
IF the policeman did not kill these
people, who was itf Was il the person
who supplied the beer and distributed it,
or was 1t the saloon keeper of whom the
the work carried on by the saloon keep
ers more than l do. l believe they are
accountable for the loss of vast number
Of lives. and for the destruction Of homes
that once were happy ones but blasted By
rum in the end. We cannot, however,
charge any saloon keeper with the death
OF the Brennans. Saloon keepers are Ii
censed. They pay $3.50 a year for this
privilege. Under the laws of our State,
they live. They receive the sanction Of
the law. might say that the liquor men
are indirectly responsible for the death of
the Brennans and not the policeman
Behind the liquor dealers. however.
another evil exists 1t is the political
party in power. 1t Is responsible for the
existence of the saloons. When the party
is to an extent held responsible, the party
IN power or the party not in power dares
not cripple the saloon force.
What have the powers that be done to
keep children from getting drunkf Ger
tainly law was passed, but IL is worded
la such a manner that children If they
cannot get liquor at a bar can get all they
want by means Of the side doors. One
party is as bad as the other, and the abo-
litfon OF the liquor traffic viii never be
accomplished through Democrats, Re-
publicans or Prohibitionists. Men care
more for the success of their party than
for the success of the purpose they are
advertising. The Democrats would
prefer party success to Free Trade
and Republicans party success to
a protection tariff and Prohibitionists
success rather than prohibition. Men
are Interested in party-not in the causes
they espouse.
''The political parties then can be held
responsible to some extent for the death
of the Brennans for permitting the sale
or liquor and allowing liquor men to exist.
Back of the politicians we find another
root of evil. We, the people. elect these
men who grant these licenses, and are we
not in a way responsible for the death of
the Brennans? The policeman is no more
responsible than are the liq uoI dealers,
politicians or the people at large.
Such things will continue to be of
common occurrence until the people
awake from their lethargy aud put their
feet down on such business as this. The
morals of the people must be raised to a
higher and purer level. We cannot ac-
complish anything through man. We
must depend upon our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, and with him at the head
of a movement to suppress these moral
wrongs, we can win our battle and sup
press such crimes"