New-York tribune., 1919-11-07
Jerseys Governor Elect
Says He Will Use All
Legal Means to Prevent
Enforcement of Bill
Saloons Reopened;
Liquor Plentiful
sDrys' Feel Congress Will
Enact Force Bill Against
Notification Program


wards relying upon state notification
to justify non-enforcement of national
prohibition, New Jersey, it was OBJ
served yesterday, may be in open con-
fiict with the United States govern
ment following Edwards's accession to
Office next January.
81 construe my election" Mr. Ed
ton of the feelings of the people of
this state concerning national prohi-
bition. They are unqualihedly op-
posed to it. Holding their mandate, !
shall use all lawful methods to pre-
serve inviolate the sovereignty of the
people"
This position, 1t is recalled by poll
ticians, Is analogous to that assumed
by the Governor and Legislature OF
South Carolina in 1888 when they
declared the Clay tariff act null and
void and forbade citizens Of South
Carolina to pay the duties. President
jackson threatened to send troops to
compel obedience and South Carolina
retorted with threat Of secession
Civil war was averted by the enact
ment of compromise tariff act.
Will Fight Enforcement
Governor-elect Edwards, both in his
campaign speeches and in his utter
ances since his election, has made these
things plain:
l. He will not lift finger to en-
force national prohibition and will
discourage its enforcement by other
state, county and municipal agencies.
.. He will utilize all lawful means
to prevent its enforcement by the
Federal authorities.
There seems no doubt of Edwards q
ability to carry out the first point In
his program of nulifcation.- The Gov
ernor of New Jersey appoints the coun-
ty prosecutors, while the police in all
the large cities are controlled by wet
officials. The next Legislature, al
though Republican, is "wet," and it is
considered certain there will be no
state enforcement law.
His theory of the right Of q
Sovereign state to oppose Federal
legislation that conflicts with the will
of its people follows closely the line
of reasoning adopted by John c. Cal
houn in his "South Carolina EXposi-
ton and Robert Y. Hayne in his
famous debates with Daniel Webster
in the United States Senate.
81 am not lawyer says Mr.
Edwards, "but | do not think a law
is a good law that is not concurred
in by the state. This state has not
concurred in the enforcement Of pro
hbition. This state has not declared
for the enforcement of prohibition.
shall ask for the best legal advice as
to the power of New Jersey in con
current legislation
Liquor Easy to Buy
oh .
was pointed out yesterday, in the
apparent readiness of wet" New
Jersey to take its Governors elect at his
word and proceed to sell, barter and
drink beers. wines and liquors with
supreme disdain for that minute one
half of one per cent maximum pre-
scribed by the Volstead act.
New Jersey, it is said shas not beer
nearly as "dry" since Edwards's elec-
tion last Tuesday rs it was between the
time the Volstead act went into effect
and Election Day. Saloonkeepers, who
were keeping a small bottle behind ths
bar for known and trusted patrons, are
now selling hard stuff" to almost any
man Many a liquor dealer who hac
locked his doors for an indefinite
period went down to the old place after
ne had read the returns in Wedne sday
mornings paper. brushed the cobwebs
off the lock. inserted the key, turned il
and threw it away.
And Edwards isn't Governor yet, mol
will he be for nearly two months. Will
lam N. Runyon, the present acting
Governor, is pronounced dry"
]. "Drys" Not Worried
New Jersey "wcts,' like those O.
other states, are, Of course, antici
pating Presidential action removing
the wartime prohibition ban som,
time this month. If their hopes are
realized the issue will be postponed
for q few weeks.
New Jerseys wet" Governor vii
take Office and its Legislature vii
convene about ten days before con
stitutional prohi hibition goes into effect
January l6. Then is when the ru!
will come and the doctrine of nulli
tication. Quashed b. the firm fist o
"Old Hickory" eighty seven years ago
finds a new exponent in Edward I. Ed
wards.
The "drys" are pinning their faitl
70 the belief that the present Congress
will not hesitate, if necessary, to fol
low the precedent of the national law
makers of 1888 and enact force bill
authorizing the use Of troops to com
pei obedience to the United State
laws.