The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-04
JERSEYS FIGHT AGAINST RUM
VICAR &c ENERAL SHEPPARD IS
SUES 4 STATEMENT.
Wants a Man to Sit In Public and Enjoy His
Stein OF Beer or His Glass OF Teddy.
Not Lean Against a Bar Behind Closed
Door and Wndows-Bis Petition.

Doors and Windows big Petition.
Never since the days of ehe agitation
which resulted In the passage of a law
doing away with racetracks in New Jersey
have ths clergymen Of the State been 50
excited over proposed legislation as
they are now over the so-called Bishops
bill, an excise measure designed 10 brlrg
about sweeping changes in the existing
laws.
In all the Catholic and Episcopal churches
and in a great majority Of the churches of
other denominations to-day the ministers
will explain TO their parishioners the pur-
poses of the bill and will urge them to ex-
ert any influence they may have in securing
its passage. The proposed measure pro-
vides for the removal OF all screens and
colored glass from the windows Of saloons
so that anybody passing along the street
may see a person as he stands at the bar
drinking.
The saloon keepers are bitterly opposed
to this particular section n will make
a strenuous effort to knock it out. The
bill also provides for a minimum fee of
$500 in cities of the first class, instead of
$3.50 as at present; the prohibition Of the
sale of intoNicant5 to minors, the doing
away with the side door family entrance, y
and the placing of responsibility Upon the
owner of the property as we'll as upon the
person who holds the license.
o. Saloon keepers throughout the State are
getting their patrons to sign a petition
asking the members Of the Legislature to
defeat the bill. Pen, ink and paper are to
be found on all the bars, and the boss or
the barkeeper seldom forgets to ask a man
who has Just had a drink it he doesn't want
to sign. II is expected that many hundreds
OF names will be secured to-day IN Jersey
City and other places where no attention is
paid to the law which prohibits the sale of
liquors on Sundays.
There will be q hearing on the bill on
Tuesday, and pilgrimages to Trenton will
be participated. in by the clergy and the
saloon keepers.
The Rev. John A. Shep pard. vicar-gen-
q. eral of the Newark diocese a nd pastor of
st. Michaels Catholic Church in Ninth
street, Jersey City, who has taken an active
part in the agitation favoring thu passage
of the bill, gave out a statement last night
In which, among other things, he says:
Il must say that we expect to be victori-
GUS. In fact, / do not see how it can be
otherwise, since we are only trying to
make the 81 loon traffic respectable. No
one pays any attention to the argument
that we are opposed to the Ii berty OF the
individual. On the contrary, we wish
him to enjoy more freedom than he does
at present. We want him to 10 as the
decent people abroad do, sit out publicly
aud enjoy himself as he sees fit on the public
highway and take his stein of beer or his
glass of toddy. At present he has to stand
leaning against a bar, half stifed W tn
smoke, behind closed doors and windows
as though he were indulging in something
forbidden.
1T is absurd to hear men tai of infringe
ment upon their privacy. They are Ii
censed TO keep public houses and then they
want to shield themselves with all possible
privacy. Take dow, your screen door
and open your windows! Your business
is Just as legitimate as the grocer's. Why,
therefore, do you not court inspection2
Il there is w~rongdoing we can under
Etand you; but if you are conducting your
business as you should do, why in heavens
tame do you want to go into darkness?
That is what condemns you.
Look TT the dreadful havoc that the
Bishops ILLS, as they are called, will pro-
duoe. Men will be put out OF business and
their help will be thrown on the streets.
Corner property will be ruined and the
rea estate men will suffer. | wonder appeal
Is not made 20 the physician and the poor
undertaken and the police Office rs-they
will not be so busy, and perhaps TIE pun
her Of the latter named gentle men may
he reduced rs or 30 PERCENT Let us he
honest. How many Z poor man and his
family have been put out Of business, how
many nave not or ever will hs We a roof TO
cover them, who, If they were not patrons
OF the poor ANS club would own their
homes and on nov hal piDpES.H