The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-20
BLAMES SCUDDER
FOR DEFEAT OF
LOCAL OPTION
Lawyer Black Lauds Fort and
Scores Pastor in Letter
to Roosevelt.
SAYS MINISTER HAS
EXAGGERATED FACTS
Good Templars' Chief Declares
Governor Is Best Friend
State Ever Had.

Severely scoring the Rev. John l..
Scudder, of Jersey City, for his "exag-
gerated and misleading attack on.
Governor Fort, declaring his attacks
on the Governor were in great part re-
sponsible for the defeat of the local
option bill. and lauding the New Jersey
executive as the strongest opponent
to the liquor traffic who has ever oceu-
pied the gubernatorial chat in New
jersey Edward Sanderson Black, a
prominent Newark lawyer, district
deputy grand chief templar of the
International Order of Good Templars,
today wrote President Roosevelt in re-
gard to a letter the President has re-
ceived from Pastor Scudder. Mr..
Blacks letter is as follows:
ITO His Excellency Theodore Roose-
welt, President of the United States:
-"Honored Sir: The letter sen you
by the Rev. John L. Scudder. of Jer-
sey City, in regard to Governor Forts
relation to loca. option Legislation in
this State is not worthy of the slight
est attention on your part, as 1t is
highly exaggerated and full of mis-
leading statements.
"Goyernor Fort, instead of being a
great enemy of the temperance cause,
as characterized by the Rev. Scudder,
is one of its wisest friends, and is
recognized by all intelligent temperance
reformers to be the strongest opponent
of the liquor traffic who has ever occu-
pied the -gubernatorial chair of New
Jersey.
Greatest State Paper.
His inaugural message was probably
the greatest State paper ever penned
by a Governor of this State, and its
trenehant paragraphs advocating the
great temperance reform brought JOY
to the hearts of all true opponents of
the liquor traffic and aroused the Bit
ter opposition of the brewing interests
Of. the State, which is evidenced by the
bitter attack the message evoked from
Brewer John Hinchliffe. of Paterson.
1.-THE recent local option bill before
our House of Assembly was not de-
feated by Governor Fort, but the very
man who writes you to that effect had
more to do with it's defeat than any
other nan in New Jersey. His insolent
attacks, through the means of threaten
ing letters, upon Governor Fort and
members of the House of Assembly,
ntIN6 dIOlSGu lHt liillE iidllOll VI iltC
people of New Jersey, and especially of
the true friends of local option, as we
realize that we can never win so long
as such incorporate tactics are en-
ployed in the name of temperance.
cudde Helping Brewers.
THE fact is that the Rev. John L..
Scudder, without knowing it, is the best
friend tina the brewers have in this
state, while Governor Fort is a wise
and fearless advocate of the temper
ance cause, and a leader in all great
moral reforms.
HE may, or may not. have vice.
presidential aspirations. On this mat
ter I am entirely ignorant. But one
thing i do know, which is, that his
nomination would strengthen the Re-
publican national ticket in this State,
and insure our electoral vote to that
party by a large majority.
81 also desire to state hat the recent
local option bill was not aNtrue test of
local option strength in h House OF
Assembly, as the bill was not wisely
conceived, and, among other unwise
features, contained what Is known as
the ward feature, which feature is
plainly unconstitutional, and was
therefore opposed by a large proportion
Of the Temperance people of the State.
Cause of Defeat.
"This ward feature and the hysteri-
cal conduct of some of the supporters
of the bill, are the two main causes OF
the defeat OF the bill.
81 am an official of the international