The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-21
Lawyer Black Severely Scores
Clergyman in Address Be-
fore w. c. T. u.
DECLARES GOVERNOR is
FRIEND OF TEMPERANCE
Challenges Anyone to Produce
First Claim That Measure
Would Be Constitutional.

Order of Good Templars, a prominent
member of the Essex bar, delivered an
address last evening before a large au-
dience in the hall of the Women's
Christian Temperance Union, 12s Null
berry street, on "Why the Crosby Local
Option Bill Was Defeated He said in
part:
THE liquor traffic is the most ac-
cursed business on earth, for it is the
only business known to the human
race that makes it's living put of the
tears of little children, the broken
hearts of wives and mothers. and the
ruined souls of men and women. 1t
should be called the traffic in human
bodies n souls. 1t involves more sor-
row and suffering han all other causes
of sorrow and suffering combined.
1T robs childhood of its innocence,
manhood OF its glory, wonanhood of its
purity, marriage of it's chastity, the
ballot box of it's freedom and industry
of it's reward. 1t leaves the trail of
death wherever it gains a foothold; it
blights the brightest prospects of as
piring young manhood; wrecks count-
less homes; fills our jails, asylums and
-poorhouses; causes \ a thousand ills
which would otherwise be unknown to
humanity; wrecks the human body. I'M
balances the loftiest intellect and ruins
the immortal soul.
Hatred Can't Win.
These, and other dreadful effects of
the rum traffic. appeal to the noblest
instincts Of my manhood. and
me TO hate the traffic with an eternal
hatred, and / long ago determined 10
consecrate all the energies of my being
to it's overthrow.
Il have long realized, however, that
hatred of the liquor traffic alone is not
a sufficient qualification to make one
an efficient worker in the great temper
ance reform. Wisdom is needed as
We'll as earnestness.
The Crosby local option bill, recent
ly before our House of Assembly, is a
striking illustration of the weakness of
earnestness, unallied with wisdom. The
object of the bill was a noble one, and
the sincerity of it's promoters was most
commendable. l feel satisfied that the
bill would have met q different fate if
the wisdom employed had equalled the
moral earnestness. Do YOU ask me,
why was the bin defeated? Ny opinion
is that its defeat was due mainly to
two causes.
I'm the first place. the ward feature
of the bill is clearly unconstitutional. as
it is in direct violation of paragraph IL
of section I of article 4 of New Jer-
sey's State Constitution, which provides
that the Legislature shall not pass pri-
yate. local or special laws regulating
the internal affairs of towns and
ties. /. challenge anyone to produce
the opinion. of ever one New Jersey
lawyer of standing to the effect that
such legislation would be constitu-
tional.
cost Many votes.
THE second great cause Of the de-
feat of the Crosby bill is the threaten
ing letters sent to Governor Fort and
members Of the Assembly by hysterical
supporters of the bill. Many votes were
lost for this reason. The letter sent to
Governor Fort by the Rev. John l..
Scudder. of Jersey City, was not only
an insult to the Governor, but an af-
front TO all intelligent citizens of the
State.
"That letter sounded the death-note
of the Crosby bill. After that letter
was published no earthly power could
save the bill, A feeling of rejoicing
animated the hearts of the brewers n
saloon keepers, and their friends. while
a wave of moral Indignation arose in
the minds of all true friends of local
option, for it was realized that the
great cause of temperance had been
sacrificed by the intemperanee of one
of the supporters of the bill.
But now one of the most
amazing displays of %effrontery in the
history of the great temperance re-
form, in the shape of a letter to the
President of the United States from
the very man who did more to kill the
Crosby bill than any other man in the
State, charging the defeat of the bill
to Governor Fort. AS a temperance
man, I refute this incorporate charge,
and claim that Governor Fort Is a far
better and wiser friend of the tenn
perance cause than the author of that
letter.
Fear the Governor.
GAS I stated in a letter to President
Roosevelt today, our Governor is the
strongest opponent of the liquor traffic
who has ever occupied the guberna-
torial chair of New Jersey, n 1t is
foolish for anyone to claim otherwise.
lie Is 1tdItu ny IA h4oCA
Of the State as much as any other per-
son, while those same interests are
thanking their. lucky stars for the ward
feature and Rev. John l.. Scudder.
but let us not be discouraged. A
brighter day is coming. The temper
ance cause is progressing all over the
country. Let us go TO work with re-
newed energy and zeal. allied with Wis
dom. l see a glorious vision with the
eve of faith. 1t is the vision OF a re-
deemed world. whose kingdoms nave
become the kingdoms of our Lord and
Of his Christ. l see the Christian
Church. aroused from its lethargy in
regard TO the liquor traffic, marching
as a triumphant army, with temper
ance banners floating upon every
breeze. 1 see the villages, towns and
cities of our beloved America rescued
from the thraldom of rum. / see right
eo,sness covering the earth as the
waters cover the seas, and all nations
walking in the light of God"