Personal Liberty League In Action.: Big Meeting in Brooklyn Enthusiastic and Adopts Resolutions Defining Its Purposes., Daily Racing Form, 1908-09-06

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PERSONAL LIBERTY LEAGUE IN ACTION Bit Meeting in Brooklyn Enthusiastic and Adopts Resolutions Defining Its Purposes It seems quite probable that the Personal Liberty League is to play 1 considerable part In the New York election although It is quite more probable that its influence would be felt more tellingly if this was an oil year instead of a presidential elec ¬ tion year yearThe The first big meeting of the Personal Liberty League was held in Prospect Hall Brooklyn Thurs day night It is a spacious hall with a seating capacity of 3500 Yet it was crowded to its utmost and the streets near by were thronged with people struggling for admission It was a striking indica ¬ tion of the vitality of the movement A number of men of real worth and eminence delivered ad ¬ dresses Perhaps the most effective was that of Andrew McLean editor of the Brooklyn Citizen Referring to the socalledreformers he said saidIf If you submit to the dictations of these people they will not hesitate to extend the sphere of their action If they can say to you that you may not enjoy an athletic exhibition or a horse race or this or that or the other sport It is but a question Of time and a short time until they will say to yon that If you take a drink of liquor you have committed a violation of the law lawOnce Once they reacli that point it Is an easy step to where they shall dictate to you still further Can any one really set limits on their activities There was a time when the law prescribed tho clothing and the food the hours of rising and the hour of retiring of all the people peopleIf If the government has the right to say to its citizens what pleasures they shall not enjoy why should It not also have the right to prescribe what forms of worship and enjoyment they shall partake of ofThis This movement is an appeal to the American people not as a partisan question but as a demand for the rights of which certain citizens who would fashion all the world alike would deprive us It is an appeal to stand for liberty which should be like the appeal in time of danger to stand by the Hag It is an appeal for the rights of the citizen It is an awakening to the dangers which threaten our liberties from the cowardliness or the narrow mindedness of our legislators legislatorsMr Mr McLean exSenator Crosby of Missouri and the other speakers were applauded with all the favor that usually attends the climax of a greit political campaign and the following resolutions Were adopted unanimously unanimouslyWhereas Whereas the tendency of our legislators is to ¬ ward the enactment of numerous laws born of hysterical sentiment many of which are of an op ¬ pressive and restrictive nature directly affecting the personal liberties of the people and andWhereas Whereas there is no demand on the part of a majority of the citizens of this state for enactments of this nature known as sumptuary or blue laws Therefore be it itResolved Resolved That we the members of the Personal Liberty League in mass meeting assembled this third day of September 1908 denounce the attempt of the government to make its conscience the con ¬ science of the whole people and be it further furtherResolved Resolved That the Personal Liberty League will supix rt for elective office irresi ectlve of their party politics only those candidates who declare In favor of liberal laws and who will resist further enactment of restrictive and oppressive measures affecting the personal rights of the people


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800