The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-07
AGAINST INVASION OF
INALIENABLE RIGHTS
BULLETIN NO.. 8.

All quiet observers among the
thousands present at the public
3,eRring on the local option bill
Moore the Assembly Committee
% Municipal Corporations, on
March 2, probably are agreed
on two facts:
First, that whatever was brought
! forth to throw light on that bill and
the ultimate aim lurking behind it
from the judicial and the economic
point of view, came from the side of
the opponents Of the measure.
Second, that every outburst of in
civility, revilement. malignancy and
threatening during the course of the
hearing emanated from the side of
the advocates of the bill-and chiefly
froma ''reyerend' gentlemen, acting
as Spokesman, some of whom es-
pecially distinguished themselves by
intern perance of speech and demeanor.
SO much so, that the chairman of the
Assembly committee repeatedly found
himself moved to admOnish the gen
tlemen, that the right of their side
to u%nhindered presentation Of its
views had been respected by the other
side, that he must insist upon equal
respect of that right for the side of
the opponents of the bill, and that
the members of his committee would
be influenced neither by demonstra-
lions of applause nor of dtsapproval,
nor by threats.
With not a single word did the adj
yocates of the bill even attempt
to refute the pertinent arguments
against it presented by the OPP
~ponents. Those gentlemen persist
emily confined themselves to con-
domination Of the Saloons inter
+. mingled with insulting jeerS upon
brewers, saloon-keepers and the OPP
ponents OF the bill present at the
hearing; to assertion that they, the
speakers, represented the views and
the will Of the church members in
the State; TO demand OF compliance
by the Legislature with their request
for enactment of the bill: TO threats,
in case of noncompliance, and to
a~sseveration that adverse decision
would not be submitted TO.
Tbat is what was presented to
: Chairman Moxon and the gentlemen
OF the committee by the advocates of
the bill. Nor was the tone on their
side changed after some crack shots
had been fred into their camp by the
two pastors speaking on the side OF
the opponents of the bill, especially
bv the Rev. DR.. g. A. WATSON, with
the declaration Of the assertion OF
3 speakers on the other side that Heg
/ represented "the Church OF God and
the Sunday schools in the matter" as
not true, because those gentlemen
represented neither the great Cath
Ollie Church, nor the Episcopal
i Church, nor the Luthern Church, nor
: the great Jewish Church, nor the
Z sunday schools of these churches.
And that declaration was invulner-
able. From none of those churches
and Sunday schools could the advo-
Gates of the bill show an authorization
to speak in its name. Yet those
churches comprise at least one hall Of me
foiaI number OF members of church con-.
rregations in the State. TO speak in
The name Of that half, those gentlemen
had no right. Still less did they have a
right to speak inthe name OF the iiiaHp
thousands Of honorable, upright citizens
of this State who are not members OF
any church congregation.
is it thinkable that our law makers
in the face of these facts could accept
the demand Of those gentlemen cou-
eernfng the local option bill as 7" the
expression of the will of the people oil
New Jersey
Press Bureau derman- American Gem
trail Alliance, Newark, n. J.