The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-07-27
DAVIS DECLARES
WAR ON BISHOPS
ACT SUNDAY BAN
Hudson Democratic Leader An
nOunces That Friends Will
Fight for the Thirsty.
CALLS PROBE COMMISSION
A REPUBLICAN TRICK
would Be a Way to Get in Side
Doors if | Were Mayor"
He Says.

JERSEY CITY, July 27.+This city
experienced another dry Sunday yester-
day. AS on the previous Sunday. the
police were active, and few saloonkeep-
ers took a chance to do business. That
the orders issued to Chief Monahan by
President Gleeson, of the Board of Po-
lice Commissioners, were not intended
as a bluff, but were issued to be
obeyed. was evident from the scene of
activity at police headquarters. Chief
Monahan was at his desk all day. and
kept in touch with the captains In the
several precincts.
The detective force was on duty, and
made a tour of the city. several ar
rests were made. a bartender for Hugh
Meehan, of 213 Washington street, be-
ing one of the prisoners. Meehan is the
man who made a test case of the screen
section of the Bishops law, the Su-
preme Court unfolding the law.
According to Robert Davis. Demo-
cratic leader. the Bishops law Is to be
attacked in the courts on the ground
that 1t is unconstitutional. Mr.. Davis
said:
"An Unjust Law
"The so-called Bishops law Is a very
unjust law, and Is not in accord with
public sentiment. The act does not in
convenience me because l am not a
drinking a but it has aroused the
liberal element all over the State, and
the latest efforts to enforce the law
rigidly here has brought matters to a
climax. A number of gentlemen who
are convinced of the injustice of the
law have decided to furnish a test case,
with the idea of having the law set
aside as unconstitutional. l am not one
of those who will attack the law, but |
have friends who will. The two strong
points to be mad against the law Will
constitute an entirely new case.
ITS pretty hard to enforce a law
that is as unpopular as the Bishops
act. It's pretty hare too, to enforce
il here in Jersey City, where everybody
knows hat the law is openly violated
in other places like Atlantic city. Why
should a State law be enforced in n
place and not In another?
II Davis Were Mayor.
IF 1 were Mayor of this town the
law would be enforced literally, that
is, in accordance with common sense
and fairness. There would be no ia-
grant v~iolations-of the law, but a
thirsty nan would be able to get a
drink quietly on Sundays. The doors
of the saloons would be closed, but
there would be a way of getting in at
the side doors.
:This whole business, this excise in
v~estigation by the Governors special
commission, is a political game to put
Democratic mayor In Democratic
cities in a hole and to discredit their
; administrations. | wonder o long it
will take these excise probers to Lexow
the Republican cities. Funny, isn't 1t,
that all the cities probed thus far are
Democratic cities? When will Atlantic
City be visited. ] wonder?
IF the Republicans think they are
making political capital they are mis-
taken. They are merely helping to roll
up ii big Democratic vote next fall"
POINT PLEASANT, July PIT have
not been retained by Robert Davis or
anyone else to test the constitutionality
Of the Bishops law. and | would re-
fuse to accept any such duty. under
any circumstances" said Peter Backes,
counsel for the State Excise Commits
sion, here for the Weekend. Further
more, having helped draft the act W
years ago and being interested in its
enforcement now, I would endeavor to
be one of those to defend the law. l
1can hardly see on what point it's on
s~titutionality can be attacked, for that
inuestion has already been tried, l think,
on three points, and been sustained by
1.-THE Court of Errors and Appeals on
npach."