The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-14
SUNDAY CARS.


To the Editor of The Evening TeLegrdph;-
sir:-The proposal to submit the question of
running Sunday cars in the streets of Philadel-
phia to a vote of the people is specious, having
a fair appearance. The mover of the resolution
in the Legislature at Harrisburg claims that
the laboring population of the city desire to
have the facility of the cars to take themselves
and families to the suburbs ON the Sabbath as
being the only opportunity they have to enjoy
the country air. and they ask that the general
la,o of the State shall be changed, to enable
them to enjoy that privilege, and that, to de-
termine this point, vote Of themselves shall
be taken for and against it. This, we say, is
specious. But is it real? In reply, we would
raise two points:-First, is it for the benefit of
public morals and, second, is there any such
application, spontaneously and bona tide, origi-
mating from the source indicated In reference
to both we think there is not. In regard to
the last point, our impression is that the appli-
cation is not spontaneously from the laboring
classes, in whose name it is asked, but from
those who expect to be benefited by carrying
them out and back. We can understand that
the owners of city railway line, branching so
extensively and through such remote parts of
the city as the Union Passenger line does,
would receive large amount in
fares for carrying passengers from the
Navy Yard and from Richmond to
Fairmount Park and vicinity on the Sab
bath day, and that they think they have
large pecuniary interest in the result. We
know that large number of our population,
not of native birth, and without our religious
ideas in respect to the sacredness of the day,
would readily avail themselves of the oppor-
tunity to visit the beer gardens, as well as the
| green fields, to be found at the point Of desti-
nation. The proprietors of these beer gardens
are in many cases also the proprietors of
| places for the sale of the same article in diff
ferent parts of the city, and have many oppor-
| tunities of soliciting votes for such propo
sition that those who do not visit such places
have no means to counteract. And having
direct pecuniary interest in the result, they
would use more active measures than those
who deem it their part to stay at home. The
advocates would be a drilled band-active,
earnest, and not very scrupulous-and would
have an advantage in such contest that is
readily foreseen, and render such a PROPOSE
ton more specious than fair. Having thus
t1co largely interested parties to the question on
the one side-namely the railway companies
and the brewers and liquor dealers-and the
general public, without such special motives, on
| the other, the friends of the proposition are
probably correct i'll supposing they would
| nave an easy anu u decided victory WI
these views on the subject we do not think there
would be any fairness in affording them such
an opportunity to gain their end that at first
! blush it would suggest and we deem the pro-
! posal specious and unfair. But the effects of
| the measure, or what may be reasonably an
| ticipated, are specially to be dreaded. At the
February term of the Court of Quarter Ses-
! sions, Judge Ludlow referred to the increase
in the business of the Court during the
| he in, nd
most fearful determined struggle between
right and wrong, virtue and vice, law
! and crime, is now going on, and un-
! less the strong arm of the law is exercised
promptly all that is good will be swept from
the land.' The Judge referred to the fact
that, for the first time in its history, the East
ern Penitentiary is so crowded that it has be-
! come necessary to place two prisoners in some
of the cells; and the saddest fact of all is, that
| cover two-thirds of the inmates are under
| twenty-five years of age" Will not crimes be
multiplied by sending thousands of persons of
| drinking propensities to the suburbs on the
| Sabbath day? viii not the consequences of
| drink-quarrelling, fighting, manning, and
homicide-be fearfully increased by such a
course
The question most appropriately belongs to
the Committee on Vice and immortality. What
| will the Committee sayl Shall they say
| that the command, Remember the Sabbath
| day. " etc., shall be submitted to the vote OF
the lager beer and liquor drinking members of
a densely populated city We hope not. We
are laboring to have churches and Sunday
Schools established in all quarters of the city,
and have the natural depravities of human
nature to contend against in trying to do them
good. Shall the Legislature authorize this
work to be hindered by tempting the laboring
| man to ride out and drink, instead of having
him stay with his family and go, if he is will
ing to CO. to be profted for this life and the
next We hope not. We hope they will say
'sVe will recommend no such legislation
From the Delaware to the Ohio we are one
State. and we must legislate so as to promote
| morality and righteousness from one end of il
to the other. We will not do anything to
derogate from the sanctity of the Sabbath day
but will endeavor to preserve it as day of rest
and for the service of God"
If those of foreign birth seek our shores fol
their own good and welfare, they are welcome
But they must not expect us, even if they
were accustomed to it where they came from
to convert the Sabbath into day of amuse
ment and dissipation. They may conform tC
us but we will not conform to them but viii
continue in the paths taught us in this respec
by our fathers, who planted this land, anC
laid the foundation of religion which 1t is nov
sought to disturb.
Even as a question of profit TO the Railway
Companies, the scheme is OF questionable
benefit. Do not their horses require the res
of the day, and will they not be speedily de
stroyed by working them without ceasing
The command is that they too shall have rest
We hope the Committee on Vice and I'm