The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-02
Assembly Hearing Packs Capitol
with Rival Forces, Who
Begin Battle.
|FLOCK TO TRENTON FROM
ALL PARTS OF THE STATE
Hearing on Bill Temperance
Workers Want May Be
Extended.
lFrOm a star Correspondent


ton. II their enemies moved on Tren-
ton today, despite the strong belief
among those who should know what is
likely to happen in the Legislature that
there is not likely to be any tinkering
with the present excise laws. Believ-
ing In advance that their fight is to be
In vain at this session of the Legisla-
ture at least, local option champions
girded their loins for a memorable de-
bate in the Assembly today. So, too.
the representatives of the liquor inter,
ests, confident that the local option
measure will be buried in committee
on municipal corporations. are pre-
pared to advance strong arguments
against the legislation sought.
Special trains brought the cohorts OF
| the warning factions to the State CAPT"
tai. From Newark came a solid dele"
| cation of the Essex branch of the
State Liquor Dealers Association.
| From Newark also came j. Frank
! Burke and other workers of the Anti
| Saloon League. Both sides are ready
for war to the knife, n the devil
| catch him who is hindmost.
Long before the time set for the hear
ing on the measure. the Assembly
| chamber at the capitol was jammed to
the doors. Not since the anti-saloon
agitation of 1906 has the Legislative
hall been so filled with men representa-
tive of every calling. Both the cloth
and the lay professions came in force.
A Camden saloonkeeper shouting for
a continuation of wet" cities and
ties. was jammed against a minister
ready TO down drink by any practicable
method.
Indiana.s Governor There.
The principal speaker for the church
and temperance people who are back
ing the bill slated was Governor j..
Frank Hanly, of Indiana. In addition
to speaking on the bill at the hearing
Governor Hanly will also address a big
public mass meeting tonight in another
part of the city.
Some of the ablest lawyers of the
State have been engaged to urge
against the enactment of n local OPP
ton measure.
May Continue the Herring.
The municipal corporations commit
tee of the Assembly, Assemblyman
John R. Moxon. of Union. chairman, is
hearing arguments for and against the
local option bill introduced two weeks
ago by Assemblyman Benjamin II.
Crosby, of--Ocean, at the instance OF
the New Jersey Anti-Saloon League.
Four hours AVE been assigned to the
hearing. beginning at 3 p. m. 1t will
be extended an hour longer, II neces-
sary, to give both sides ample oppor-
tunity to speak on the merits and de-
merits OF the bill. Chairman o
says that he viii continue he hearing
TO another date IL the opposing factions
Are not satisfied with the time allotted
them.
Provisions, of the Bill.
The bill, as 1t now stands, provides
for local option by wards, cities OF
counties. Special elections may be
held not oftener han every two years
to decide whether districts shall be wet
OF dry. Heavy penalties are provided
| for violations of the law, the only ex-
elnptions being brewers and distillers
and druggists. Brewers and distillers
In dry districts may sell to persons
from wet districts, tine goods to be
removed at once from the dry district.
Druggists may sell on prescriptions.
AS the bill stands at present 1t pro-
hibits the use of communion wine in
churches, but this will be amended so
as to exempt the preachers and others
who preside over the communion
tables.
The Democrats Of Hudson and other
/ counties, with possibly one or two ex-
ceptions, Essex County and the New
Idea Republicans. are pledged against
any local option measure that does NOT
give the right to vote on an open
Sunday
Governor Forts excise bills are to be
introduced tonight and that promises to
complicate the situation.
In view of these conditions it Is
hardly likely hat n local option leg
islation will be enacted at this session.
especially as Governor Fort and other
Republican leaders feel that they are
committed by the last election to no
more radical temperance work than the
strict enforcement of the Bishops law.
The Governor wants q State excise
board and power given him to remove
the mayors of cities where the Bishops
and other liquor statutes are not en-
forced. 1t is said that the bills will
be introduced in both House and Sem
ate, but Majority Leader William F..
l Martln, OF the House. ana OInerS say
they know nothing of the bills.
Governor Fort came to h capital
today on the Pennsylvania train sup
posed to leave Newark at 10;01 a. m. 1t
was very late. On board were scores
of local option advocates. among them
State Superintendent j. Frank Burke,
of the Anti-Saloon League, and Gov
ernor J. Frank Hanly, of Indiana.
Mr.. Burke brought the Governors to-
gether, and they went into a smoking
compartment where non could invade
to hear a very animated conversation
that included the excise in it's range.
Governor Hanly later said he had not
asked Governor Fort about local option.
The Hooosier leader Is wearing a local
option badge. The Trenton Anti-Saloon
League folk turned a trick on their
opponents by sending a battalion or so
of enthusiasts to capture the front row
of the House gallery early n the day,
shutting out those who came late.
The special from Jersey City OF the
Anti-SaIoon League, which stopped in
Newark and at several other stations,
landed a big aggregation at the State
House. At a little after l o'clock, Just
behind the big crowd Of men and
women who came on the special. were
the coaches Of those OnnosfnQ the bill.