The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-09-02
ABSOLUTELY PURE

| destroy the liquor trade by fanaticaI laws,
disregarding the fact that the business
was a legalized one by State and National
! Government, which contributed more to
the maintenance of the Government than
| any other business.
But the hotel and saloon keepers, with
their usual quiet. -good-natured, easy way,
| trusted their destiny to the brewers, took
matters easy and did not care to organize
for the maintenance of their rights. The
officers of the State League were almost
powerless to accomplish anything.
"The result was that the fanatics, who
were always fairly organized. became
belder and belder. Even the pubic did
not care to aid a class of business men
that did not know enough to protect
themselves by organizing in their own
interest. But at last the time came when
the overtaxed and prosecuted liquor deal
ers rose up to protest and to demand JUS
tice and fair play. They formed ~organiza-
tons all over the State and today we wit
ness the grand spectacle Of having in con-
vention more than 800 delegates from
forty organizations, accompanied by
thousands of their friends and fellow
business men.
"At the last convention in Paterson the
League was composed of twenty-six or
ganizations that waved the banner of per-
sonal liberty as exempllhed by the State
Liquor Dealers League of New Jersey"
% speaker then Went on TO say that
the National Convention, held some time
ago at Washington, was a great success,
ard that the n~ineteen States represented
cuO nCx q Sakil III SlA OlE lllS Gf-
forts OF Robert J. Halle, the National
secretary, and the Board of Officers, Mr..
keehler said the Increase of the tax on
beer and whiskey, as well as the proposed
increase of internal revenue from $25 to-
$50, was prevented.
The defeat Of the proposed Increase Ia
the internal revenue tax, he said. saved
each liquor dealer in the United States
SO a year.
Next the speaker referred to the visit
Of the western delegation to Paterson
some time ago. He then declared that
sidents of the National association ne
considered 1t a compliment not only 10
himself, but to the State of New Jersey,
which he represented
Mr.. Koehler then turned his attention
to circular No. 8, which was issued some
time ago. He called attention to the fact
that N that circular the Board OF Direc-
new plan and hi he had pointed out
several decisions of the Supreme Court.
one Of these decisions, he said, convinced
MIN that the law we are working under
1.-The so-called Werts avis unconstitu-
tional in several features
In regard to the legislative measures
calculated to adversely affect the inter-
ests Of the liquor dealers. the nrasi5eyp.
thanked those who opposed their Massage
ana referred particularly to the a~ssocia-
tions noble friend, Senator DAILY. Of
HUDSON, the stauneh and proven friend Of
the liquor dealers of the State, who
fought against the passage Of the bills.
"A nearing was granted the representa-
tlyes OF the League by the Senate COM
mlpfse' which was attended by Organizer
e II Nolan, James BUTLER, Charles En-
gel, John McEntee, Andrew cahill
mccormick. Miehael MeKeon, myself and
others
tee and the good ladies and gentlemen
present and 1 am convinced tina the re-
e sonoe Of the leaning was beneficial TO an
Soncernen. II was discovered. that the
LEGISLATORS as we'll 2S fha paanJr r1cX
IN the interest Of moral and reform had
no idea of the magnitude Of capital in
VOWED in the liquor trade.
1t never awned to them that She
money raised by license was used in the
support of the public schools, maintenance
e. streets ana other mproyeraents They
municipalities.
"AIl pernicIous legislation was pre-
vented and both political parties don't
seem to be inclined to NEEDLE With the
liquor question"
The President then briefly reviewed the
been sent out and he declared that
through the efforts of some of the officers
Of the association a proposed Increase in
me license ZEE n the District Of Columbia
The speaker next told of what tie vari-
Gus local branches of the association had
in St. Louis. after the cyclone there. and
in Hudson county
He advised the members of the different
associations not to plead guilty, but to
fight every case SO that their aecusers
might be properly met. The speakers
said his advice was followed and the re-
suits were good.
Towards the close of his speech Mr..
Koehler said:-
7 thank the trade in general for their
un0ty OF action their conservative stand
ia politics last fall and remind the dele
gates and all present that according TO
cur constitution the Liquor Dealers Pro-
tective League Of New Jersey Is, and
must an all times be, a non-polstical body.
May the trade bear in min that in
pnson ard concerted action HES the
strength OF the organization.''
Senator DAILY of Hudson was next in
troduced and given a most ffattering re-
ception. He congratulated the a~ssocia-
ton upon the excellent showing which
it made. The present convention was
larger than that of last year which
| showed that the association was prog
ressing. The traffic afforded vast suns
of money for schools and other commend
able public purposes. To strike down by
legislation that great revenue would add
so much to the burden Of the taxpayers
that they could not stand up.
II am not in favor of Prohibition" he
went on, NOR would l favor legislation
| that would crush out the liquor traffic
You are non-political. My advice is to
| look after the choice of legislators. You
had better be political sometimes. You
| should look after the Legislators and see
that no man is elected who Will favor
interference with your business or try
| to wipe it out. Had it not been for a
| Democratic Representative the bill you
| opposed in the last Legislature would
nave been passed. Go into politics and
favor that party which viii not try to
crush you
These committees were appointed by
President Koehler:-
On Resolutions and By-Laws-Mr. Me-
Keen, of Passaic; John Mcneil, Orange,
James M. Butler, Keyports Frank Kohl
hund, Jersey City; Philip Feist, Paterson.
Arthur Allen, High Bridge, and John
Cavanagh, Newark.
Observation-Disclosures J. McArdle, Jer-
sey City: William Getting, Hackensack
John r. Dupuy, Carlstadt; Alfred DIES
pies. Elizabeth; James Gibbons, Trenton:
John j. Guenther, Newark, and William
C.. jacques, New Brunswick.
Finance-Charles G. Engel, Trenton
Patrick Callahan, Jersey City, and John
J. Bolan, Orange.
Press-John King. Passaic; John
OsBrien. Bayonne. and John McEntee, OF
Jersey City.
o'clock in executive session. Resolutions
were adopted refusing to take any part
in politics except when the interests of
the League are threatened; favoring the
repeal Of the Werts law requiring twelve
s.sgners to petitions for licenses. and de-
nouneing secret organizations fer barring