New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-08
LIOTOR.DEALERS AT CHURCH.
THE PROPOSED PROSECUTION OF ORGAN
IsTS FURNISHES A THEME FOR THE
REV. CLAUDE RABorEAC.
WOODS cAusTIc COMMENTS.

TIN +n-ra, Of the Jersey City Heights liquor deal
ora 20 procee! under me old blue laws agains' tAe
orgar.s,s OF all churches who receive pay ior pay
INC on sunday Influenced the Rev. Claude Rabo-
'eau pastor OF the Parnly Memora! Baptis'
church. OF Jersey Cl.y. 70 say pleasant word to
the louor-!ealrs IN i prelude last evening Inc
r,ouor Dealers Association held n meeting behind
closed doors last week. he said. III the ne"spa-
pcr reports b. true the doors were not so ugnty
o,osed ana some OF the proceedings leaked through
and became public property. Naturally inc spirit
OF retaliation was strongly IN evidence ana INC
.a,oonkeep.rs have vowed 20 pay the churches ana
tho ministers back IN their own coin They VIII
,ry their hand AZ the detective business we ara
assured and v;sli tho churches for tAe purpose OF
securing evidence against the organis's VINO tney
claim Violate the Sunday law by working Tor pay
I an sure We all appreciate and sympathize wth
IA. unfortunate position IN which genial organ
t., IL riaccd The prospect before him OF being
haul.I before the Police Court tnis week Is not an
e,,iring ore We are 20 bN congratulated on Inc
fact; however. that this novel resolution OF the
ripuor pealcrs' Association may permit some or 'he
s,lo,nkeererf - cross the portals II a Chreian
cb,,- h an experience ] suspect. that a large num-
Der OF them have never enjoyed In their lives. II
- ca, only gct tn. saloons to close ana the liquor
dealers - attend religious serv.ce ~ the HOUSE u
Col the Law and order League has hniGed peter
than IL knew The mos, ardent adVocdt" OF sun
day closing never dreamed o. accomplishing so az
nr
only ho compelled - conform 10 the letter OK the
inv anl cease their Illegal sunday traffic we feel
IN. our rlrfo4r has been achieved. Bat to-day an
unexpected triumph has come 20 as. No; only VIII
tho llqnor- leaders give Ne auotAe- dry sunday but
they pruposc 20 attend church. surely II fs an age
OF wonders But such event Is the most ex-
itaord.nary that has ever happened in the annals
81 our city The churches bid them welcome Even
a liquor iealer has a soul ana y ne VIII only stay
long enough when he makes his yD4li ne may hear
something that will oprn rs eyes 10 the wretcneh
mesa and degradation ~ his calling. IL IL 700 bld
20 make our organist scapegott Tor the vengeance
,hc .,loon proposes to wrcak upon this church and
uastor vet feel safe IN saying that he IL willing
TO sacrifice himself II need be for The accomplish
mont OF such a splendid achievement as inducing
the saloonkcep'r to visit the house of God
r, M'n a. h yy,o,, Iirgrhc SUNDAY law in
rnlilng their professional duties ior pay II snch
opportunity OF preaching the Gospel TO the saloon
Keepers and doubt rot that every pastor In Jer-
jus,icc for 80 rare u privilege. After all. there IL
no occasion for this childish petu.ance ana absurd
serious business. as the Liquor Dealers Assocla. .
ton VIII certainly become the butt OF ridcule o. all
the city n II continues 10 indulge in sucn 'ntantNe
The liquor dealers arc making much ado about
nothing | cannot see that the persecution IS es-
periaiiy severe II Is true the amateur detectives
secured evidence enough 70 convict many rrom-
nent iquor-deaiers Of Illegal traihc. but the penalty
exacfed VAS "A mere basateA. What saloon N
Jersey CITY cannot afford TO pay fine OF 81 and
costs for the privilege OF supplying It's sunday pa
irons? To me IL seems wiil-goOse chaee TO spend
time ana effort evidence against the
aal0onk ceper II me result OF IL all Is to end In "A
miserable farce While | am heart and soul with
the Law and Order I.eaFIe In the good work II
PLANS to perform. think ihat better results would
he acc ,mpshed II. instead OF wasting time 10 Sc
cure Indictments against lquor-dealerS, whom the
Court discharges with nominal fine. Il brought
pressure ard influence To bear upon the Court Itself
and secured a few genuine convictions with the
most extreme penalty possible. Then the Liquor
Dealers Association might have some serious mat
ters TO consider