The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-15

A%N1I-LIQUOR LEAGUE.
State Organization in An
nua1 Session at Trenton
Yesterday.
DR.. BATTEN ON PROHIBITION
Public Not Yet Ready for II, He
Thinks-New Restrictive
Laws to Be Sought.
Special to the Jesscu C.ty Neacs.

~03 RC @tSN y =
sey Anti-Liquor League held its annual
meeting yesterday in Association Hall
and listened to an address by the Rev.
s. 2. Batten, of Moristown. Mrs.
Bourne, State President of the w c. T.
U. and DR.. s. Edward Young. of New
ark, were among those present.
The meeting was called to order by
the Rev. DR.. A. G.. Lawson, the Presi-
dent He said that the League was form
ed two years ago and it had made fav-
orable progress n had grown stronger.
It was composed of temperance societies,
church societies n all interested in the
cause of temperance. The young people
Of the State were beginning to give
more attention to the temperance cause.
The League was formed of men and wo-
men having different ideas on the sub
ject of the liquor traffic. but having one
common motive. The Scripture speaks
Of several demons. but only one devil.
The liquor traffic is the devils strong
right arm, and If it is rendered help
less many other evils viii fall which
are upheld by It.
DR.. Lawson said the League had SCI
cured the passage of the law which pre-
vents the holding of an election in a
barroom. Two bills introduced at the
last Legislature, the Twelve Signers bill
and the one to prevent drinking from be-
ing hidden by screens or blinds, had fall
ed, but they would be reintroduced in the
coming Legislature The bills were de-
feated by the political majority, who
seemed to think that On the eve of a
Presidential election the bills contained
dynamite.
The Rev. DR.. Batten was then introduce
ed. He commenced by quoting the con-
domination of Gladstone, the London
Times" and Wendell Phillips on the
liquor traffic. He referred to the earli-
est attempts to regulate the liquor traf-
fic. In 100 B. c., the Chinese put to
death any person who drank intoxicants
to excess. Romulus made. a law forbid
~ sa Monreh ka - aran Is sc IN tns cary gass GAYS lays
sidered public The excise laws
OF the Saxons became the foundation for
the excise laws of England today.
Parliaments and Legislatures are asked
every year to lessen the evils of the
traffic, which has doubled IN England
IN the past fifty years. and which is
woven in our national life.
As long as the opponents of the evil
are divided, the evil will grow. The
need of the day is a platform on which
all the friends Of temperance can united
- 80 - warmly
unsatisfactory. There are too many
persons with too many platforms. There
IS a vast amount of right temperance sem
timent lying around loose, but it is power
less.
We are not all agreed as to the use of
alcoholic beverages but we are united as
to their misuse.
Our laws are based on The belief that
nothing shall exist which interferes with
good citizenship. Whatever mau may do
himself he must not implica.e society.
MI n N W vrfln q ~ Arn1n-ad m r. ~,
not willing to favor entire prohibition.
However, it is believed that three-ifths
of the people are against the open sa-
loon. DR.. Batten said he himself was in
States Constitution to entirely prohibit
the sale Of liquor, but many good tenn
perance people are not willing to go hat
far.
The open saloon makes society a part
ner in all the woes of the liquor traffic.
He admitted that people could not be
and twaddle. the worse cant is the state
ment that you can't make men bet.a- by
good laws. Human legislators can pre-
mote human welfare; If they do not, we
n save a great expense. No one will
attempt to legislate men to heaven, but
all will agree that the stumbling block
of liquor can be taken away from the
paths of men. Prevention is better than
reformation.
The saloon is here by the form of law,
anu II must De suppressed by the form
OF law. We did not jeopardize the plan
of salvation in attempting to save a
single SOUL because we are not at the
same time saving all souls. We must go
step by step in putting down the liquor
traffic.
The people, it seems, are not ready for
prohibition. We cannot hope for entire
prohibition until all men are abstainers.
We do not hope to compromise with an
evil, but we viii destroy the open saloon
by anDlying a principle.
High license laws are a delusion and a
snare, as they do not decrease drunken
ness. The State has no right to get a
revenue from the vices of its people.
Liquor cannot be licensed, for the reason
that men crave It, any more thar houses
Of ill-fame and gambling should be
licensed.
In the first place, we should enforce
the present laws-vigorously demonstrate
with excise boards, which have a judi
cial as well as a clerical power. With the
present laws enforced and local option
secured, one.half Of the evil would be
lessened inside of five years. All drink
ing bars should be at all times in plain
sight of all. That is the best measure for
the hour which makes and enlists the
most sentiment against the saloon traffic.
Rev. E. J.. Foote. Of this city, said he
believed the greatest temperance work
could be done among the Germans and
italians, whose love for liquor is natural,
and who support four-ffths of the sa-
looms. He said the saloon was the result
Of a n appetite and the appetite must frst
be taken away.
Rev. DR.. 8. Edward Young of Newark
gave the meeting some points on legal
methods of bringing to Justice Offenders
OF the law, and suggested a concerted
effort be made in each county to send at
least one temperance man to the Legisla-
ture, where he could make things lively.
Rev. De Hart Rruen, of Belvidere. want
ed the penalty on drunkenness increased
and a series of progressive fines for repeti-
tions of the offense.
Rev. c. A. Jenkins, of New Brunswick.
said that in his town there was an asso-
citation which was not discussing whether
1t was right for an Individual to drink
wine but they were agitating a movement
to elect a Common Council which will re-
fuse to grant licenses to saloons.
Rev. Hervey Wood, OF Paterson, said
the liquor men of that place owned the
city, body and soul.
Mr.. Rhoads, of Haddonfield, favored
most practical. He said the township of
Haddon had had local option for twenty
three years, n what had been done
there could be done elsewhere.
Mrs. Bourne asked whether it was wise
to propose new temperance legislation this
year, or whether 1t was best to prevent
the liquor men from getting favorable
avs passed.
DR.. Batten said ne favored new temper
ance legislation, at the same time fighfing
the liquor men.
The meeting adjourned with prayer and
benediction by Rev. Mr. Ingram.
The old officers were reelected, as fol-
lows:-Rev. "A. G. Lawson. Camden, Presi-