The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-26

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of Assembly by Benjamin H.. Cros
One provision of the Crosby bill
makes it a m-isdemeanor to serve conf
munion wine in any district that may
be voted dry, andalso makes it clear that
!. clergymen serving such wine at COM
-munion will be liable TO fine or punish
ment. DIR. WATSON says that it is his
intention to appear in Trenton next
Monday to argue against the whole
bill.
"Bad in All lis Features"
"This provision about communion
wine,' he declared, lis nj worse than
any other provision of the bill, which
is as al as can be in all of its feat
ufes. a product of humbuggery and
:. fanaticism.'' 4
'oThe- first time a minister broke the
law he would be liable TO a fine of not
less than $50, and if he committed a.
second offense the place where 1T oc-
Cured would have to be abated as a
nuisance, or he would ave to give a
thousand dollar bond not to further
violate the law | quoted. What
would you think of a minister being
placed Under arrest as a l~awbreaker|
After laughing heartily at he pic
a.ture of some dignifed divine. being
called to time by a stern judge for
serving liduor'' to the members of
his church, DR.. WATSON made the
strong statement about superfluous
churches.
Sees a eR~edeeminG FEATURE"
9..If this feature of the bill should
close up some churches it would be the
bills redeeming feature he ended
with another chuckle.
TITS quite evident that you do NOT
think much of that bill or some
churches" ~.
s"Right."1 doomed h big voice. i
do not
ut seems to. me-" ] ventured. ?thae
if tsne bill does so through the bpisE
!. cosbap clergy will suffer most, Most q
tina other Protestant denominations use
= unDermented wine; pure grape juice
Again came. that big I5asso p~rofando
laugh. ~
hWelI, il the worst came to the worst,
>, they could deliver their sermons TO the
men in the jails during their periods
of incarceration. But i hardly thlhk
it will come to that" he said.
1 asked DR.. WATSON IL he had, noticed
that in a dry county brewers ana
djstillers would be permitted to sell
their wares at wholesale to persons
living outside the dry district.
Might Keep Authorities Busy.
.World it not be easy for a man to
- come into a dry county. buy a large
onantity of liquor. and then, by merely
81 crossing the border line, sell it to 1ndi-
viduals, who would. bring it back into
that same dry county?' l asked, try
ing to look as if matters of Legislation
and laws were as clear to me as a b
C, land would the law be able to
touch them in such instances?'
"Oh, well, that's just one of the fea-
lures" was. the reply. J imagine h
would be too busy arresting ministers
to have time for anything else" Then
the interview ended.
one cannot help but admireS a man
who is not afraid to say h he
thinks. and when that man is a min
lister of the, gospel, upon whom all
sorts of criticism are likely to fall as
a result of his frankness. the admira-
= ton is coupled with respect.
Provisions of the Bill.
Summarized, the provisions of the
Crosby bill may be stated as follows:
1t makes it a misdemeanor to serve
communion wine in any district that
may be voted dry Under the local OPP
ton plan. Under the bill now before
49, "A -.n.oIIxy a 1,,infcfar orriIfU nj
SERVING communion wine in an anti
saloon district where the voters, at a
special election had decreed that nc
liquor be sold, would be. liable for the
first offense to a fine of not less han
$50 or more than $3.50, and If a second
offense should be committed, the place
where it occurred would have to be
abated as a nuisance or the minister
would he compelled to give a ono OF
$4,000 not to further violate the law.
The bill expressly provides that nc
person, either personally or through
an agent, shall sell, furnish or. give
away any intoxicating liquor. except in
cases provided in subsequent sections
of the act. The only exceptions made
are in eases of brewers or manufac-
.-+1lrers of liquor who have their plants
In a district that is voted dry and
druggists.
Amendment Is Probable.
The brewers and distillers are per-
mitted to sell their wares at wholesale
10 persons living outside the dry dis
1riet.- and druggists are permitted to
.,se alcoholic preparations in prescrip-
@tions.
The attention of the municipal cor
porations committee at Trenton ha
been called to the failure to exempt
ministers from. serving communion
wine. and John r.. MoXon; of Union
chairman of the committee, would llSs
to hear from %clergymen their views
concerning theinecessity for an amend
ment to remedy this point in the bill
CHANGE ST. PATRIcK'S PLAY.
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