The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-08
MAYOR REFUTES
GRAFT CHARGE TO
L|QUOR-DEALERs
Haussling Tells State Conven-
tiOn That Stories of Cor
ruptiOn Are Baseless.
SAYS THE CITY is NOT
STEPPED in WICKEDNESS
President Hayes Declares Sa-
loon Man Is an Object of
Unjust Criticism.

Vigorous denunciation of political
charges of incompetency and graft in
municipal departments was made to-
day by Mayor Jacob Haussling in an
address at the opening of the seventy
fourth annual convention of the State
Retail Liquor Dealers Association, to
the 500 delegates assembled.
"All this talk of graft and corruption
is absolutely without foundation" de-
clared the mayor. 1T is easy enough
to make general charges, but specific
cases are sometimes hard to prove. The
city of Newark is not seething with
corruption; it is not a mass of iniquity,
and it's servants are not of the COM
pleXion that certain persons seem fond
of painting them.
"The city of Newark, with it's 1000
factories, is a great, grand, glorious
city, and not city stepped in sin.
did not intend to talk politics, and
will now say what I originally intended
by giving you the keys to the city"
John A. Shuster, chairman of the
local committee or arrangements, in
troduced the mayor whose reception
was fIattering. "Three cheers for the
next mayor of Newark" shouted a
man with a stentorian voice. They
were given with vim that made
the rafters ring In German, after the
last echo had died away. a voice
shouted, Give it to him again." and
they did
Thomas L. Hayes, president of the
local organization, followed Mayor
Haussling with an address in which he
declared that it behooved critics of law
abiding, decent aloon-keepers TO eX-
anime themselves. "If they were to
do so," declared Mr.. Hayes, they
would probably find that the members
of lie State Liquor Dealers Association
were accomplishing considerably more
good than they are.
'The critics of the saloon Keeper
are the first who come to him seeking
a donation for charity or advertising
for souvenir card. The saloonkeeper
is a good maa on these occasions; on
other occasions they paint him diff
ferent color. The saloon question. IL
there is one, should be taken from
politics and decided in different man.
ner. Both of the old parties should
recognize that"
John ]. Gascoyne. probation officer
of Essex county, followed with a short
address, and the delegates settled down
to routine work The convention was
opened in Michel's Hall, South orange
avenue and Broome street, with an at
tendance Of over 500 saloonkeepers
from every section of the State.
President Hayes, in a lengthy report,
recommended the wiping out of un-
excised places and urged the organiza-
ton of clubs and to use the ballot box
to fight, as the others are doing.
do not allow others to be carried
into office on your shoulders on election
day who will not know you the day
after" said he "but, aided by your
clubs, influence others to vote"
The election Of officers will take place
prior to final adjournment and the
days event will be brought to close
with reception at the Kruger Audi
torium tonight.
The convention today was the first
held in this city by the association, and
the visiting delegates were loud in
their praise of the committee which ar
ranged the convention, which consisted
of John E. Shuster, chairman; James
McManus, secretary; Joseph Michel.
treasurer; Thomas c, Hayes, Henry
Dreaver, Israel Lehrich, John Nc
Loughlin. John Weissmann, Nathan
Steinfeldt. Frederick Hochbaum and
Samuel Beim.