The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-07-30
LOCAL OPTION
TOTHE FRONT.
Superintendent Burke Presents
the Cause at a Public
Meeting on the Green.
MR.. BUXTON WRITES A LETTER

League of New Jersey, would discuss
the records of the Morris County as
semblymen on the local option bill in
troduced at the last session of the
Legislature. Mr.. Burke confined his
remarks to the subject announced,
stating the general purpose of the or
ganization and the results in other
states making the assertion that New
Jersey is the only state east OF the
Mississippi river and one of only five
in the union which has no provision
for local option, principle of local
self government, as dear to the Ameri-
can people as trial by jury. 1t is a
measure for the benefit of workingmen
principally, ,as others with larger means
or more time to spend in going to OF
from business can reside in districts
which have no saloons.
He declared that Legislature after
Legislature has been organized against
such legislation year after year and
there was no hope of success until the
churches and independent citizens or
ganized to ocombatthe efforts of brewers,
distillers and saloon keepers, who reap
the benefit from wet conditions. Fin
ally the organization came into being
and the bill was introduced. Little
was expected from Hudson county,
but it was thought that the repre-
sentatives of Morris county should not
be found in opposition to the measure.
He did not blame Mr.. Chaplin so much,
as his record was against such meas
ures, but they had received a letter
from Mr.. Buxton before election when
he was asked if he would support To-
cal option measure, calling attention
to his position as president of Young
Mems Christian Association and his
desire as Christian anxious to uplift
the morals of men as guarantee that
he would be in favor. But he voted
against it.
But there are so-called leaders or
bosses who say who shall hold the Of
fees, and he had heard that one such
said that Mr.. Buxton will be re-nom-
mated whether the people want him
or not. He thought that in that re-
mark he found the man Mr.. Buxton
said he had made promises to in his
letter of reply and urged attendance
at the primaries to elect delegates to
the county convention.
AS to his second objection that he
did not believe it is time for such leg
islation, Mr.. Burke declared that the
people had waited for nineteen years
for such law and every great church
organization in the State had passed
resolutions asking for it.
The speaker said he believed in the
doctrine of repentance, but thought
that bill to suit Mr.. Buxton, such a
one as he said he would vote for in his
last letter, would please both the brew
ers and the clergymen, a possibility he
could not imagine.
AS to Mr.. Buxton's S assertion thai he
had never met Mr.. Burke, the latter
said he was told to get the records of
the men and he thought that despite
the fact that he had not personally
met the assemblyman, yet he knew
him, knew him well on his position on
the local option issue, at least.
Mr.. Burke briefly referred to the
charge that he had been deOarred
from the assembly chamber and at the
close of the meeting had distributed
papers containing the verbatim report
Of the proceedings. He further stated
that his time of Office expires in a few
weeks and called on any body who
knew anything about him that is not
right to communicate with the officers
of the League, who have his re-elec-
tion or defeat in their hands. Rev.
r. B. Urmy he said is such an officer
At the conclusion Of his address he
had e. HI. Curtis read the whole of the
Disbrow letter, to which. Mr.. Buxton
had referred in his letter of reply, stat
ing that up to the conference he had
considered it private communica-
uion.
Assemblyman Henry W. Buxton,
who was Invited by J. F. Burke to pre-
sent his reasons why he did not sup
port the Anti-Saloon Leagues meas
nres has sent the following letter to
Mr.. Burke:
July %. 1907.
j. FRANK BURKE,
1876 Roseville avenue,
Newark, N. j.
Dear Sir:-Replying to your COM
munication of July 18th, which had
the pleasure of reading in the Press =
prior the time that / received such
letter, ! regret that my position on the
liquor question should be such cause
Of anxiety to you. / believe that the
citizens Of Morris county are very we'll
informed as to my position on the
question, which belief is strengthened
by the fact that have not received a
single inquiry from any resident of
Morris county, regarding this subject.
/ have received one letter from resi-
dent Of MorristoWn referring to this
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