Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-07-25
Tho Sunday Saloon Business.

The Sunday Saloon Business.
T he German papers, in discussing the qucs
tion # open liquor saloons on Sunday, should
bear in mind one point, viz, that the liquor
traffic is not, in law morals, to he c'assed with
other branches of business. We do not pro-
pose /, argue more than one thing at time, es-
pscillly when that one thing Is not inseperably
eonnece with other matters
Til fundamental law Of the State classiies the
liquor traffic as an evil. and laws have been
passed prohibiting the sale Of iqu RS on Sun
day. 1t is made the duty Of the executive Of
dcers of the city to enforce this law. 1t is their
sworn duty tp enforce it, aui it is demanded
that the Mayor and the BOlrd Of Police Com
missioners shall do their duty.
Drunken"ss is great evil. 1t is crime
against society. Sunday being holiday, there
is more drunkenness and disorder than on any
other day-as much perhaps, as on the other
six days of the combined The State hav-
ing taken notice cf this fact, sought to check
the evil by prohibiting the sale of liquor on Sun
day. In this the State WAS right. II is its place to
legslate in the Interests of society. and the law
having been passed in that interest, it is the du-
~ OF every citizen to SEE that il is eI forced.
Our talk on this srhiec has been II ainiy with
the Germans, because they, a. class-at leas,
so far as they are represented through the Ger
man prcss-are the special champions OF free
trade IN liluor, a II Of the l,wle sn'Ss and de-
bauchery which result from the Sunday traffic.
1t is easy enough to say that iaen cannot b.
made moral by legislation, and that c"ercive
laws are opposed to the principles Of liberty,
but these are thoughtless assertions. All laws
or nearly all are coercive, and are necessary to
liberty. Without coercive laws there would be
20 liberty, and he who asserts to the contrary
does not see the difference between liberty and
license. Furthermore, If men can not be made
moral by legislation, they can, at least, be re-
strained and certaiLly the rising generation can
be protected. Tho food which sweeps Young
people INTO scenes of druneness and debauch-
cry can be arrested, aud the State that refuses
to put forth its power to check this swelling
tde is already marchlng not IN the ways Of lib
erty, but iu the road that leads to anarchy
Drunkenness is at the bottom Of nearly all the
crimes that occupy the time of our criminal
courts; II peoples cur poor houses, our work
houses, our pententaries and our orphan asy-
iums 1t also furnishes nine tenths Of the vic.
tins who perish the galloAs. Il is by far
the greatest evil with ynI,h society has to deal.
Ills surprising, therefore. that good citizens or
any portion of the press should oppose the exc
eu.inn of Laws tia. oull, if enforced, suppres 8
a very large rc.ntAge OF the evils resulting
from incompetence IN every large city, and con-
tribute very largely to the peace Of the c0mmu-
nifty and tho elevation of s cietJ,
Il may DO said that IL it would be such good
thing to prohibit the sale of ntoxc itlng liquors
on Sunday, whether il would not be we'll to pro-
hioit il altogether. There are great many
who talk this way, and the license which liquor
dealers in our cities demand tends very largely
To create a sentiment in favor Of prohibition.
II has already produced the Adair law, and the
etlI more sweeping Temperance laws Of Indi-
ana and Illinois These laws have been made
and they will stand and il liquor dealers insist
upon being placed upon an equal Ooting with
oiher branches of business, and deny " the
State The light 10 regulate the traffic, aud make
this the leading issue in their politics, they
will bring down upon their heads enactGents
fac more sweeping and eacctive than the Adaii
law.
We warn thnse wealthy brewers. therefore
who demand the right to DO rs they please that
they are stepping on very dangerous ground
and at the same time we infoi m cur cotempora
Tles Of the press, who claim a maj "rty OF The
neople of this city are In fayRr of free trade in
intpx,cating liquors IN Sunday, that they ar,
mistaken, We take also occasion TO sRy TO thl
Hermau papers that large proportion of Ih'
German American citizens are in favor Of en-
fnieinq lhe SUNDAY laws against saloon Keeper
and that they will be heard from wheW tn
storm which is now rapidly gathering break
around the ears of our deficient officials and ih
nakeTs Of druaksyds. - Ciaciinsh 0oSetc.