Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-03-07
HEARING ON
BISHOPS BILL
DREW CROWD.
Remarkable Scene at State
House Yesterday When Meas
ure Was Discussed.
BOTH SIDES PRESENT.
Able Speeches Made for Pas
sage Of Measure--C Commit
tee Took No Action.

TRENTON, Mar 7.-One of the
greatest, most impressive and
strongest demonstrations ever made
by the people of the state before the
legislature was that yesterday after
noon and last night at the hearing
upon the bills designed to secure a
reform of the saloon evil and known
as the bishops bill" Catholic pre-
lates sat beside Presbyterian, Bap-
tist and Methodist clergymen, while
laymen of all the faiths WED with
each other in showing the broadness
of the great movement.
The addresses brought unstinted
applause, even from the great gather
ing of saloonkeepers and brewery
men gathered to oppose the bills.
The assembly chamber was packed
by the adherents of the two sides, for
the saloon men, wearing blue badges.
denoting their connection, were fully
500 strong. The state federation of
labor had another big delegation to
show opposition to the measures on
the ground that they would affect
! 20, 900 men, connected with brewing
and other industries in which unions
are concerned.
The keynote of the whole demon
stration was liberation for the sa-
loon conducted as any other business.
openly and with higher regard for
the welfare of humanity. On these
lines there was marked unanimity Of
opinion among the powers of the
church and home.
Sectarian Lines ForgOtten.
The hearing was conducted by the
senate committee on miscellaneous
business, of which Senator Avis, OF
Gloucester county, is chairman 1t
was unique to see Bishop McFaul, OF
the Catholic Diocese, of Trenton, and
Bishop Scarborough and Bishop
Lines, of the Protestant Episcopal
Dioceses, conducted to seats in front
of the speakers rostrum by Rev.
Charles e. Nash, the Presbyterian
clergyman, of Newark, who had made
the great, but losing fight for local
option. 1t was no less unique to see
a Presbyterian clergyman sandwlched
between two priests of the Catholic
church at desks of the members OF
the assembly and over the whole as
semblage there hovered that same
feeling 9 regard for the good of the
comm " which made them forget
acatar.an differences and raise their
voices for the common cause.
Former Senator Robert S. Hud-
speth led the fight on the bills when
the hearing was continued this eve
ming. He showed the vast volume of
petitions signed by citizens in all
parts of the state as proof that the
bills are not wanted. His principal
objection to the pending measures
was that many respectable and law
abiding saloonkeepers would be div
en- out of business. Colonel E. 2
-...... of this city, spoke for the Gers.
man-American Alliances; Attorney
samuel E. Perry, for the Atlantic
City hotelkeepers, who hold that the
measure would seriously cripple their
particular business; John Henry Fort
for the Camden saloonkeepers, and
Colonel Dennis Collins for the State
Brewers Association. The latter de-
clared that the brewers are willing
to confer with the advocates of the
bills in an effort to agree upon some
modification of the bills as now
drawn.
The committee took no action, but
it is understood that the bills will be
reported with some slight changes.