The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-01

BY GERMAN
ALLIANCE
ReSents Attacks by Clergy
men=-CalIs Them Lime
light ReverendS.''

Acting on a resolution passed at its
last meeting, the committee named by
the German-American Central Alliance
last night made public its opinions on
ministers of the gospel who uphold the
blue laws, calling them "1imelight rev.
erends." The committee approved The
stand Of the Common Council major
ity on the Sunday question and made
a strong appeal to voters to assert
their independence at the polls and
defy "the insults offered to their man.
hood
The committee of the board of direc-
tors. which stood sponsor for the state
ment, as unanimously Endorsed by the
Alliance, was composed of Charles Ety.
tel. George Hermann, Richard Teimer.
Frederick Breithut and Gustav VOL
Der.
This is its text of the statement:
The German-American Alliance finds
Itself IN full accord with the principles
enunciated tn the body of the city ordi-
nance recently adopted by. the Common
Council and his honor the Mayor In refer
ence to the question of Sunday selling.
Quite frequently some of the ministers
of the various denominations, being desir-
Gus of coming out IN the limelight, dis
course from their pulpits on the question
of Sunday selling from their point OF view,
which, In the nature Of things, must be a
somewhat narrow one. while at the same
time they never fail to apply to the liberal
thinking element of the population such
very C~nflSlldn-lke epltneIS as TummleS,
brambles, buns, drunkards and what not
else. This class of limelight reverends who,
with all their study of theology, are more,
or less at loggerheads over the definition
of many of the principal contents of the
Bible, we certainly accord the same privi-
lege which We claim for ourselves; that is,
to work out our salvation according to our
own views. However, should this particu-
lar class expect to work out its own sal
walton in defending the good cause by
means of blinded prejudice, perversion Of
fQCfa. nv ainnUQnHog and SluTq WhV thew
are certainly welcome to their American"
celestial kingdom. For all we know there
e.nce, Judging from their palayer on the
American" Sunday, American" in
stitutions. etc. never omitting to
eign" element and CONTINENTAL customs,
either directly or sub rosa. In order to
avoid any misunderstanding, we bear no
ill-fee1ings toward the ministers or clergy
az a whole, but we do toward the hotspurs
and fanatics among them h continually
succeed in spelling the broth by adding
everything in one and the same kettle
and this class is to be found chiefly among
those making use OF the English idiom.
The liberal thinking population OF this
community is composed of citizens Of every
nationality, owing allegiance to every faith
and way of thought, reserving the right
to attain salvation In their own way and
manner. and rejecting all and any tutelage
whatsoever.
The inability of these limelight reverends
"HG CtiHliOI Olu a iibIt dpDfODI Adlt WDIi
Just at present-to approach the excise
question without bias or prejudice, Is gath
cred from the fact that they persist In
confounding the Hheral-minded faction of
our population with the liquor interests"
The German-American Central Alliance,
under whose banner principally the liberal
element OF German extraction and descent
is enrolled. demands the repeal CT all
obsolete statutes that interfere with the
5H &c Q do liberty Of Of the The h l%ndlyiSnsl a. and mod THAT
times. When we mention personal lib
erty," we want the unbiased mind to
understand It as such, not as license"
The German-America Central Alliance
demands the regulation of the excise 1egis-
lation on a. common-sense and cosmopoli-
tanlike basis, which will permit those de-
string 1t to crafty their bodily wants dur
ing certain hours on Sundays as well as
on weekdays, without being. chased as
criminals, disorderly persons, lawbreakers,
or still worse, all on account of fake"
and pernlcious sumptuary laws.
Furthermore. the German-Amer1can Cen
trail Alliance demands that the liquor ques-
ton be entirely eliminated from party poll
ticcs. However, just so long as this question
Is serving as a shuttlecock for campaign pur-
poses Of the contending political parties,
the German-American Central Alliance will
consider 1t ITS duty to employ the power
and influence at Its to obtain
an excise legislation that will be ~satisfac-
tory to all concerned. irrespective Of the
party affiliations OF aspirants for municipal
or Legislative mandates. Until this has been
achieved, the liquor question may well
nave It's place IN party politics..
The membership Of the German-Ameri-
can Alliance recruits itself from the most
respected. peace-loving and law-abidlng
citizens and taxpayers of this community
counting among them hundreds, II not
thousands, of such brave men as have
rlsked their lives on the bloody battletields
Of the Civil War, fighting for the main
tenance of their adopted country and our
American institutions.
A conspicuous proof Of abiding by the
law was furnished by the Ge~rman-Amerl-
can Alliance on the occasion OF the OBJ
seryance of German Day, PhnRster Sum
day. when. Notwithstanding bishops bnT'
and shoppers" neither malt or spirituous
beverages were sold: nevertheless the at
fair was voted a success.
We also recall the National Saengerfest
of last wear. when on Sunday. July l. over
10000 visitors were In attendance, all OF
the same liberal-thinking element, and not
one arrest for disorderly conduct. etc. had
to BE- recorded. So much for peacefulness:
Now these are about all the demands OF
tha Gprman-American Central Alliance
touching the llduor OF drinking question.
Such questions as the granting OF licenses
to saloons, hotels, taverns, etc, high license
or low license. etc, are mo- germane 10
the sphere Of the alliance, ana belong 10
another forum.
But the German-Amcrican Central ALI
ance does hereby protest against the con-
tinuous attacks of these lime-liRht rever-
ends upon the liberal-thinking citizens OF
all nationalities, and appeals to all citizens
In sympathy with our aims ana objects to
i, reject, Mt the proper time and as occasion
: may arise, at the ballot-box the insults
offered to their manhood, their independ-
ence and their saneness. The large ma
5ority given at the last fall election augurs
well,