The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-03
AND FOES
OF LOCAL OPTION
IN R0WATHEAR|NG
Clergymen Among Those Who
Oppose Crosby Measure Be-
fore Assembly Committee.
tFrom a STAFF Correspondence

TRENTON, March 3.-It was 6:lo
o'clock last evening when the hearing
ON the Crosby local option bill 1
the Assembly committee on municipal
corporations was brought to an end.
1t was remarked that two clergymen,
the Rev. DIR. e. A. WATSON, of Newark,
and the Rev. Gottlieb Andrea, of Jer-
sey City, were among the most vigorous
opponents of the bill.
/. Chandler w. Riker, of Newark. who
i, headed the list of opponents of the Dill,
paid tribute to the good will of the adj
vocates of the measure and their earn
e%stness.
They have all said the saloon must
go; hat it has been kicked from the
Pacific into the Atlantic Ocean," con-
tinued Mr.. Riker. "They favor abso-
lutte prohibition, which must be right or
wrong. The last speaker for the other
side referred to Lincoln as asking you
TO strike off the shackles of the saloon.
What Lincoln said was that local OPP
ton is un-American."
This statement brought forth cries
of "Show us the words and like in
terjections from the local optionists.
Chairman Moxon said that the hear
ing would be Immediately adjourned if
there should be any more disorder.
Mr.. Riker said if all New Jersey sa-
looms should be wiped out, 10000 men
would lose their positions and $4,000
places of business would be vacated.
He commended that the bill under eon-
sideration would enable the club man
and those who are able to buy for
home drinking to do so, but that the
NKynrlxin nIn n xunDIH Ahn 6nnriUo6 of a
legal means of buying what he desired
to drink. He characterized the evil
spoken of by those in favor of local
option as not being drink, but intern
perance.
The Rev. e. A. WATSON dwelt upon
the province of the Legislature in pass
ing upon the problem of deciding upon
what issues should be sent to the peo-
pie for decision, and what should be
passed upon by the Legislature itself.
He held that the local option issue
should be passed upon by the people
before a Legislature should enact such
a law. He claimed hat not all COM
gregations and churches are a unity
for local option.
He took exception to the statements
made by several speakers for the bill
that they represented the entire mem
bership of all churches and Sunday
schools.
DIR. Andrea, In speaking against the
bill, took issue with the statements in
1.-The Issue" as to figures of those in
local option and prohibition States. He
showed that if these figures are correct
there are III 12,0 900, 900 people left to
consume a thousand million dollars
worth of liquor. His speech was 20
show that prohibition does not pro-
hibit.
Judge Frederick Kuhn, of the New
ark Freie Zeitung, was spokesman for
the German societies. He quoted from
the Constitution to uphold his state
ments that local option would be an in
Vasion of the rights of the people of
the State.
In rebuttal Joel Borton, of Woods
town, made a brief talk on behalf of
the Friends. The rest of the time for
the bill was taken up by Superintend-
ent Burke, of the Anti-Saloon League.
He declared that the question of pro-
hibition would take care of itself when
the time anne.