New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-21
PREACHERS HEAR JEROM [
Ansper His Sunday Opening Talk
Outsider Creates Scene.

Although rumpus created at the Methodist
Preachers Meeting, at No. $50 5th-ave., week ago
! by the announcement that District Attorney Je-
rome had accepted invtatio to talk "The
Need OF Legislation Amending the Liquor Tax
/ Law. he was received cordially at the meeting
/ yesterday, and about three hundred clergymen
/ were present to hear him. It announced that
| only members Of the meeting were to be admitted
and many persons who not preachers were
kept out OF the hall. One outsider got in however
and made disturbance. He said he was H. L.
Huntington, OF Yonkers.
Mr. Huntington Is an ardent and radical Prohibi-
ZIONIST He believes in the total wiping of the
sale Of liquor. He holds prohibition meetings on
the street corners and in the squares. and has a
small stand from which he speaks. He also is In
the haot or visiting saloons and arguing with the
proprietors and others the liquor question. One
of his fads is to attend meetings and try get into
an argument with the speakers.
Mr.: Jerome had finished his address and the dis
cussion was under way when Mr.. Huntington
jumped up and demanded a hearing II am tired
OF all this hypocrisy he shouted 81 want to make
an out-and-out argument for the saoonkeeper"
Are you member of this meeting?" he was
asked.
Il not he responded; but I have as much
right here Mr.. Jerome, the devil either"
Mr.. Huntington YVES advised that his presence
was urgently required the outside of the door
He complied but he moved slowly, and at the door
he turned back and shouted: Christ scourges the
unrighteous priests from the temple and have
right to denounce hypocrisy among this BODY of al
legged ministers Any Christian minister who will
vote with a party that licenses the saloons is a
hypocrite
The chair informed the meeting at the beginning
or the session that no one but members were per-
mitted to be present, and you remained Your con-
duct was ungentlemanly," said white haired
preacher
You have no more right go into private
meeting. without being invited, than YOU would
have to come into my home" said the Rev Mr.
Meeker. an athletic member OF the Newark Confer
ence.
Il would go to your home if l had any business ,
to take me there" declared Mr.. Huntington
Not while my muscle is in good order" said Mr.
Meeker Mr.. Huntington went out.
Mr.. Jerome In his address said ne was concerned
with the duty of the State to whether the en-
forcement or the amendment of the existing statute
is the moro desirable. Enforcement. he declared
was practically impossible Neither State nor local
officers had any wish to enforce IT, because of the
danger of disaster to their party and there were
other practical difficulties in the way. With some
22500O people patronzing the saloons Sunday
some way is sure TO be found TO insure the evasion
of the law. He maintained that It would be better
TO have law which could be enforced so to in |
the closing OF the saioons within certain hours
on Sunday, rather than to have law which theo- |
reticaly closes them all day Sunday and practically
does not close them at ALL /