The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-01
Anti Saloon. League Man
Questions Both Katzen-
bach and Fort.
REPLIES ARE DEMANDED
Desires to Have an In~terpreta'
ton by Mr.. Fort OF What He
Means by "Home Rule
Distinguished From the
Platform Declaration.

Inquiries where they stand on the
excise question have been addressed by
]. Frank Burke, Of the Anti-Saloon
League, to J. Franklin Fort and Frank
S. Katzenbach. the Republican n
Democratic candidates for Governor.
The letters ard identical except for the
second and fifth paragraphs. These
are omitted in the Katzenbach letter, as
they relate directly to Mr.. Fort. The
letter to the latter is as follows:
Newark, N. j., Sept. 80, 1907.
ION behalf of an inquiring constituency
Throughout the State l write you In re-
gard to your positisn on the Sunday la"
I'VE are urged to believe that your ut
terance in behalf of home rule can only
be interpreted in one way, and thai Is for
a repeal of our present Sunday law 70 the
end that a local community may be al
lowed. by the ~sufferance or sanction OF
the State, to open their barrooms and sell
Intoxicating liquor on the one day ,tPe
Sabbath, on which 1t is now unia"tui 10
SO do.
a'Without entering into the discussion of
the moral and religious basis for the pres
ent law, may we suggest that every man
who is at all familiar with the situation
in the State knows that fifteen counties
at. least in New Jersey are almost unanl-
nous in their opposition to any. weaken
lUN OF OUT summary INV. Inlb AlOdAA9 tA0N
a repeal of the Sunday law would unques-
tionably be defeated in the Senate by a
vote of Is tol6, if not better.
we respectfully submit that for any
candidate to- declare in Essex, Hudson or
Atlantic Colanty that he stands for such a
repeating measure is holding out false
hopes to "a Certain class, and at the same
time Is encouraging this same class In
their program. of breaking down respect
for law by Violating it.
I'VE have hot yet seen any positive
statement that you assume such a position,
though public journals and individuals
NEXT that you do, and as yet we have
seen no denial of the same from you.
May WI respectfully ask: Do you stand
for ba a repeal ssdr Of I our present a3t SUNDAY ia ,, LAW
saloons the power TO sell intoxicants on
the day on which they are now prohibited
~ State law. in any locality of the State,
Under any circumstances?
May we suggest that the known inpos-
sibility of the repeal of our present Sun
day law leads us to insist that the only
real excise issue before New Jersey Is the
proposition tot grant to the people of the
various POLITICAL divisions in the State the
right to veto the issuance of licenses IL
they so desirei.
although Ne maintain that the present
system of thrustipg a saloon upon a COM
munity without hhe c~ommunity's consent
and against itEf protest is un-American,
nndemocratIc, dnd against the basic prin-
ciple of free government, yet we would
not raise the question with any man to
be elected Governor of this commonwealth
as to whether be would sign such a fair
measure as this.
"But we do most emphatically declare
that for a candidate in this State, in view
of the known sentiment In at least fifteen
counties, to take a position that he favors
the !suspensioT of the Sunday law in any
o 19GIsliSfy ol az sn su sa False ho op snf to s the people as pS.
but is making the work of the molders
of better public sentiment and that of law
enforcing officials exceedingly more diff
Even now in Atlantic City, owing to.
the equivocai position already assumed,
those who are working for law enforce
ment are met with the statement in the
press that you stand for the very position
which these il~awbreakers do, that of
doing away with the law that is distaste-
We trust you will not misinterpret our
language. We recognize there is a class
that taxes to the uttermost the power of
honest officials to keep them from running
riot. We recognize hat they always in
sist thai a law which they desire to break
ia unjust
'This we%know, and we know that it
is constant struggle between the better
ana worse forces. We recognize that this
class are demanding license on Sunday
simply because that y the only law New
Jersey has which places any restraint
upon them and which affords the people
"Where do you stand? Are you in favor
of even appearing to be with them In their
effort to do this thing?
w would rsmind you that there are
thousands of people, Including the liquor
dealers. who id not stop to d~ifrerentiate
between the nhn who favors licensing
wrong legally aid him who, when he cam
not do it legaflyA@iIl do It Illegally.
$50 we ask: % You favor the State en-
tering into partnership with localities in
doing away with the Sunday law TO the
extent of sancttbning or allowing them to
do so2 As the time is fast passing we
urgently ask for a prompt reply.
This is public question. The people are
greatly interested therein. We Will feel
free then TO make this letter public.
Hoping to hear from you soon, l am,
yours truly,
~. FRANK BURKE,
Estate Superintendent of the New Jersey
Anti-Saloon League"