New-York tribune., 1920-03-02
jersey Senate
Passes 3.5O%
Beer Measure
Bill Approved by House
Last Week Us Adopted by
Vote of II to 9; Gov
ernor Will Now Sign 1t
Special Dispatch to The vy;1u,

Il
Special Disputch to The Tribune
TRENTON, N. j., March 1.-The
New Jersey Senate tonight, by vote
OF IL to 8, passed the $50 per cent
beer bill passed last week by the
House. Governor Edwards will sion
the bill Immediately
Governor Edwards, in obtaining the
passage of the beer bill, fulflls a
promise he made the people of the
state when he made his campaign for
Governor. He pledged himself to the
enactment of law that would allow
the manufacture and sale of beer in
New Jersey. He was assailed by the
Anti-Saloon League of New JERSEY
and other "dry" organizations as null
llfcatipnist and secessionist.
Edwards won by $4,000 in state that
IS normally $4,000 Republican. His
Irst act was to send message to the
Legislature demanding the legalizng
OF the manufacture of beer. His next
was the presentation of bill to carry
out this idea. The House passed the
MS expectations tonight
Crowded Galleries Hear Debate
Passage of the bill followed a debate
ma marked with acrimonious arguments.
Inc statement was made by Senator
Kunyon, of Union County, that the
Senate was about to take one Of tho
most important votes ever taken in the
history of the state, and the crowded
galleries told of the great interest of
the public in the matter under discus
sion. o~ 0S~
III the afternoon the Joint judiciary
committee Of the House and Senate
had q public hearing on the bill and
arguments were made by advocates of
national prominence of both sides, but
all OF this was overshadowed bv the
consideration of the measure on final
passage IN the Senate at to-nights ses-
sion.
The bill came up under suspension
9t o., the rules upon motion of Senator
Pilgrim, Of Essex, who asked that the
committee substitute, House bill No. ~
be substituted for Senate bill No. ia
introduced by himself. 1t looked for a
minute as if President Case was going
to arbitrarily refer the bill to commit
tee and make it's consideration imnos-
slble. When the message of the House
was read he made quick reference
ana Tor minute the proponents of the
Dill were at loss as to how to pro-
ceed. Finally some one suggested an
immediate report and the committee
reported the bill favorably Then a
parliamentary move brought the bill to
third reading and the debate was on,
Several attempts we're made to
amend the bill, but all of them we're
unsuccessful. Senator Hanes, of Cam
den, wanted q referendum tackled on
and Senator Sturgess wanted the pen
alities OF the Volstead act inserted in
the bill. These attempts to amend oc-
casioned some slight debate before
Senator Pilgrim took up the main oues-
ton. The Essex Senator pictured the
blll as an honest attempt to interpret
the rights of the state as included in
the word concurrent" He said that
ne had no sympathy for "the stupid
and mercenary liquor interests" but
was concerned about the rights Of the
people of New Jersey
The most powerful argument against
the bill was made by Senator Runyon.
OF Union. He held that it was the most
important piece of legislation ever en-
acted in New Jersey. He declared it
was not a question of "wet" or "dry,"
but question of whether New Jersev
-"ioN iIo ACdt Ill IcD6InOn
against the Constitution of the nation
The Union Senator pictured New Jer-
sey at the crossroads. He read from
history how, in 1868, the Senate of New
Jersey placed itself outside the ranks
OF the other states Of the Union when.
by vote of IL to 8. it accused Lincoln
Of breach of faith.
Warns the Republicans
Senator Runyon said that at that
time Jersey gave real help and comfort
to the enemy, and now it was going to
be emblazoned around the world that
the Legislature of New Jersey lad
raised it's hands against the Constitu-
ton. He took up the question Of DO
litical expediency and warned the Re-
publicans that the Democrats had hon
estly won the support of those sup
posed to be wet and there would be
nothing but dishonor for the Republi
cans to flirt with that vote. "What if
1T does mean defeat for a year or two?"
the Senator said "Ths would be far
better than to pay the terrible price
that such an act as this will cost"
The case of the Attorney General, he
said, must be woefully weak to need
an act of, the Legislature to give him
grounds upon which to appear in the
Supreme Court