Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-04-28
SPEAKS ON
Jury CHANGE BILL
Tells / 500 Hearers New Meas
ure Would Abridge Rights
of Citizens.

Denouncing the proposed action of
President Wilson to come to. this
State and speak for the jury reform
bill as Unprecedented interference.
and calling the bill measure to rob.
the people of their rights, Major Carl
Lentz made the principal address at
the celebration Of the twenty-fifth
anniversary of the Badische Lieder-
tafel at the Colosseum yesterday.
There were about $500 people pres
ent and when Major Lentz, who is
the president of the Northeastern
Singers Union, took the platform,
they listened attentively.
Mr.. Lent said in part:
only three weeks ago the United
Singers, of Philadelphia. went TO Har-
risburg and sang to the Legislature
the German songs. What speech was
not able to achieve the singing did.
1t carried the victory and showed the
legislators what an injustice it would
be to handicap In any way the free
exercise of German sociability.
To-day there is 9, movement afoot
In our State of that same nature and
intended to hamper your personal lib
critics. They are about to make a
law which In its practical working
but will make such celebration as you
are having here today impossible.
All liberals are again facing the
question of being robbed of their
personal liberty. I refer to the jury
= oil, IN 20
away from the sheriff the right to
select juries and place 1t in the hands
of a commission appointed by the
Governor or the court. The Question
is matter of the most vital impor-
lance.
1.-THE sheriff is elected by the peo-
pie and bound to carry out the wishes
of the voters. In this way the peo-
pies rights are maintained. If they
take this. right away and give it to
men who are not responsible to the
people, then God help you and your
personal liberty.
I'm a few days President Wilson
will be here to force by his oratory
and the weight OF his office the ac-
ceptance of this jury reform measure.
1t is the first time that a President
of the United States has dared to
with the purely local politics
of a State.
"He tries to justify his action by
saying that he was the leader of this
State but he forgets that he has
resigned and Is no more the leader.
On this account he has no right to
come here and dictate his wishes. 4
His secretary of state has an
nounced through the papers that all
drinks are banished from the official
state functions, and I also saw in
the papers that hereafter our admin
istration shall be known as the grape
juice administration.
Now I am perfectly satisfied that
II they cannot take a drink without
harm to themselves they should leave
1t alone. But as far as we are con-
cerned we want the right to say what
we want.
under Sheriff Sommer, and the
misery he brought upon hundreds of
I warned you at that time
and I ask you now, do you want to
again awaken when 1t is too late
and after the damage is done?
STAND up like men and tell the Pres
ident your opinion and let him know
that the State has it's own rights. 1t
is just a hundred years ago that the
German people awoke and shook off
the yoke of Napoleonic tyranny. Let
this be a sign to you and reawaken.
STAND together all of you Ger
mans and show the President that
while we are good citizens ready to
protect this country any time it needs
us we ask to be allowed the exercise
of the rights as free citizens. Tell
him that you want to retain the right
to have your juries selected by the
sheriff, the true representative of the
people. Let us decide on this day of
to act now and not when
it is too late.
Let us ala stand together and
fight to avoid bitter future and to
save us from something more terrible
than words can express"