The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-24
TEE BLUE nose CRUSADE
How Griggs and the State
Gazette" Started in to Sup
press the Liquor Trade.


From the Trentor 'srrue American" of
Today.
When Mr.. Griggs contemplated becom-
ing a candidate for Governor. he remem-
bered that he had voted and spoken for
the high-license local option act of 1888.
He also remembered that when that
act was pending in the Senate. he had
been appealed to by many leading Re-
l.publicans, among them the Ballantines
of Newark to use his influence in Sc
curing mitigation of the harsh features
of the act.
He also undoubtedly remembered that
he had treated Mr.. Ballentine very cava-
lierly. if not uncivilly. and refused to
yield at all to his requests. saying al
most in his own Words 81 know what I
am about. and this bill must pass
Remembering these things, Mr. Griggs
early in his search for the Gubernatorial
nomination. waited on Mr.. Ballentine, to
test that gentleman's memory and also
to endeavor to secure his support in his
fight for the nomination. He discovered
that Mr. Ballentine remembered the PIE
vious interview and also that he would
not support him for the nomination.
It was after this double discovery that
Mr.. Griggs put forward the plea that he
had been controlled in his action by the
Republican caucus. and. inferentiaily.
not by his own opinions
A glance at the records of the period
shows that the bill was prepared for and
submitted to the Republican caucus: that
it was adopted by it; that it received
every Republican vote in both Houses of
the Legislature; that it was vetoed by
hot n in SaG
by the House. and was certain to again
receive every Republican vote in the
Senate; that Senators Gardner and New
ius had defended it. and that not one
word was required from Senator Griggs
to secure its passage in the Senate.
And yet the last person to speak for it
was Senator Griggs. He spoke at great
length. meeting the legal arguments of
the Governor as a lawyer, and then as
a high moral Republican making this at
tack upon those engaged in the business
of manufacturing or selling any malt or
spirituous Liquors.
From the State Gazette Of March 6,
By the provisions OF this bill the people
are to decide fer themselves whether this
evil shall be carried en- in their midst.
This is a policy that has become essen
tiai.- This bill is @cefasdfsTatise act to
restrain business that is becoming
overweighted. so long as the liquor
dealers shall bind themselves together
and appoint judges, who shall protect
them in their violation of laws, SO long
as they maintain tnat attitude they viii
have arrayed against them the oppo
sition Of the people. irrespective of
party. The tran has become over
weighted. Into the arena OF politics
these tiquer men have led an linbroken
cohort. They want to preserve their i'm
munlty for violating laws. The Republi-
can party. when, it made caucus
to the affront of this business that
seeks to manipulate the election and
the appointment of officials. The good
of society and of the State is in this
bill. The liquor business is overgrown.
BY the passage of this bill the 600 saloons
now fiourtshing in Paterson will be re
duced to about one-half, and a law that
will bring about such reduction is
good one and should pass. 1t means
no infringement of personal liberty, but
it provides for morality and better poll
ties, This evil power must go out of
politics, because it is a power not con-
ducive to good government We re-
strain the manufacture of powder and
the sale of poisons, and the sale of
liquor should not be regulated by poll
tics. This bill is in the interest of hui
manity. What Senator present thinks
it conducive to good citizenship to have
q family reared in saloon? 1t is a bill
for the enforcement of the law. When
it is law it VIII no longer be neces-
sary for brewers to own our sheriffs and
courts The bill IS in the interest Of
good order, for sobrfety. for economy,
ence for protection of law-breakers. 1t
is against law-breakin.g and defiance.
It is against dissipation and the squan-
and social degradation.
Democratic editors have written in
gleeful lines the prediction that the Re
publican party is killing itself by passing
this measure. If this be true. the party
is diving for good cause. The Cover
nor has said that t.lle Republicans have
us when the Democrats have caucused
on as good a bill? What good is party
but to give the people what they want?
this bill. Then decency and naniiness
is death. The Republicans do not desire
the EXCLUSIVE credit for the passage of
all it's political effects by Joining with us
and passing it over the Governors veto
# Is a good sign the bill is right from
for it. The converse of the proposition
I will not state Whatsoever things are
pure, good. honest, lovely. of good report
these are all in this bill.
The attack on the liquor business was
as open as it was vfrulent 1t was
charged with corrupting legislatures and
common councils and appointing friendly
Judges; it was classed with the vendors
of poisons, and it's suppression, by vote
of localities, was hailed as an act of
high morality The wisdom of the eau
Gus in adopting it was praised and
possible defeat was hailed as a glorious
martyrdom for the right.
This was before the people at the cleo
ton of 1888 sat down on Mr.. Griggs and
his party. Since then he has sought to
shelter himself behind the caucus which
he failed to influence, and to put the
glories of martyrdom on some other fell
lows shoulders.
But his spoken words to the Ballan-
tines and to the Senate prove that the
caucus was carrying out Grggs' notions
of political sagacity, and that he was de-
Tending those notions and not the act
of the caucus.
1rr1r II Arin rAniT HATI