The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-05-11
.LINCkS'S APPEAL
Youth Of Many Titles Tells
Clergymen What They
Must Do.
He SAYS LIQUOR FIGHT is ON
Tells Why He Won't Gather
Evidence and Dares thu
Police.

l. Ol1OO,
George H. Lincks, editor and publisher
of Literary Notes Hudson County sec
retary Chautauqua Literary and Scientific
Circle representing the Institute of Social
Economics, superintendent Home Depart
ment Hudson County Sunday School AS
sociation, historian c. l.. S. c. class '96,
manager book and magazine agency,
chairman Good Citizenship Committee,
letter TO the Methodist ciergymen of the
city. The letter reads:-
Dear Sir and Brother-As chairman of
the Good Citizenship Committee of the
Jersey City Epworth Union, L desire to
officially advise the pastors of the twenty
Methodist Episcopal churches in Hudson
County of our movement in the interests
of Sabbath observance, the enforcement
of laws prohibiting the sale of liquor on
Sunday and the sale of liquor to minors
at all or any time.
"a careful reading of the articles in
the March and April issues of Literary
| Notes'-copies enclosed-will put you in
touch with all the facts in the case.
THE alarming increase in various forms
of Sabbath desecrauions the universal dis
! regard for law by the liquor interests in
(. Hudson county; the commonly expressed
opinion that these interests are protect
/ ed from punishment; the shameful con-
ditions of affairs admitted TO exist in the
northern section of our county (admitted
by an officer sworn to enforce law and
order); the denouemenI OF a Grand Jury
| by prominent police Official for alleged
protection of certain gambling interests;
all these things demand the attention OF
the clergy and Christian men and women
of the county. The time is ripe for a
movement having for its object the unity
of action that will bring about a better
condition of affairs.
I'VE invite your support, your counsel,
your cooperation in our work. This is a
moral reform movement the political side
of which will be taken care of by citizens
aroused to their duty as a result of our
movement. Every interest, virtue, law
and order, civic pride, the safeguards to
| be placed about our youth, the protection
of the Sabbath and of child-life all de-
mand that we get together and work.
Investigate these matters for yourself.
Will you preach about this on Sunday,
May II?
4'I remain, sincerely yours,
GEORGE H. LINCKS,
chairman
In his paper Mr. Lincks has this to
say
THE fight for a better observance of
the Sabbath day, the enforcement of laws
relating to the sale of liquor on Sunday
and the sale of liquor to minors is still
on. There is no intention on the part
of the Good Citizenship Committee of the
Jersey City Epworth Union, nor of the
local committees of the several Epworth
League Chapters to abandon this fight.
1t has grown beyond the best expecta-
tions of the most ardent workers. There
is every possibility that the fight will be
carried on until the next election. 1t is
desired that the movement have its in
fiuence on the election of a Sher-
iff in this county in November,
1902 The Epyorth League as an
organization will not nominate nor
endorse candidates. 1t is not politi-
cal organization nor can it be used tor po-
| litical purposes. 1t plans to arouse a
public sentiment that will generate into
a Municipal League or Citizens Party
not dominated by the bosses of the Re-
publican or Democratic machines. 1t
| plans to secure public sentiment favora-
BILE to- the passage of a local option bill
and the passage of more stringent laws
regulating the sale of liquor, the absolute
| prevention of sales on Sunday and the
! absolute prohibition of sales to women or
| children. Steps have already been taken
to make this State movement and it IS
probable that there will be a revival Of
temperance sentiment that BODIES no good
| for liquor interests nor dilly dallying poll
| ticians.''
Further in the same article appears
THE City Union maintains that it is 40
| part of the citizens duty to secure evil
dence, appear in court and prosecute
! violators of law-when paid department
organized for the purpose of suppressing
| violations of law is in existence. The
| president of the Police Board in public
interviews maintains that the police are
| unable to get evidence, a5 it is essential
| in order to get a good case that policemen
enter saloons and drink, and rules of the
department prohibit this. The law dis
tinctly provides for arrest indictment and
conviction of saloonkeepers for sale or
exposure of liquor, and it is a well known
fact that hardly a saloon in the city is
closed on Sunday and that the can or
growler trade is generally conducted with
little let or hindrance. The City Union
maintains that liquor in can or pitcher
is an exposure under the law, indictable
as such, and every case of such open
violation should be followed by arrest of
saloonkeeper. the detention of the can
patron as a witness, as an abettor of
law breaking, and the confiscation OF the
can containing liquor as evidence of said
violation"