, 1873-04-14

Tho mooting Of galoon-kcopora, hold on Batur~
day laet ut which It resolved to sell no more
boor on 8uniay, would DO remarkable II thoro
woro any indtoatIons TINT tho resolve wo,,ld bo
observed. The saloons arc divided into several
clasaes,-thoao whore spirituous liquors arc tho
principal articles sold, md those ghcro boer and
not apfrituous drinlts ia mainly sold. Those are
divided again into two o1aaseB,- B,-thoso which havo
little or no busiuosa on Sunday, and those who
do moro business on Sunday than during tho
whole woo1s. third grade Of ealoonu aro thoao
which havo show Of q fruit-Rhop, confectionery,
ico-oroa1a, and oysters in front, md vllninous
drinks and assignation-rooms in tho rear, and
Which arc open night and day all tho yoar round,
and which, M class, are tho most Infamous and
t1omorn1izing establishments III tho city. These
should be closed up absolutely, and without rof-
eronco to Sunday, or should DO rcfusod licenBes
to sell liquor in any form.
But when re speak Of tho saloons generally,
wo moan those whore tho proprietora sook to
prosorvo deconcy, respect aud maintain ordor,
nnd Hoek to prevent drunkonnosa on tho part Of
their visitors. OF thoHe, wo bolioye overy re-
spectacle saloon-1toopor who deals tn spirisuous
liquors is in fayor of an absolute closing OF all
saloons from Saturday night until Monday
morning. They desire tho Sunday as n day Of
rest for themselves nnd for tlloir families, aud
will do all i'll their power to bring about such d
general closing Of saloons as was proposed at
tho meeting on Saturday. Bit among those
whose principal business is tho salo Of beer
there is not tho samo dogreo Of unanimity.
ThiH ia due somewhat to tho fact TINT tho men
belonging to tho two classes havo been educated
under different aocia1 systems, but it is also
largely duo to stho fact that keeping
opon on Sunday ia q profitable business. IT
ovcry saloon in tho city wloro boor iB not sold
woro closed OIL Sunday, tho business Of tho beor
saloons would be more than doubled; tile whole
population that now sock company and refroeh-
mont in NIL tho saloons would find their way to tho
placoa whore bocr is sold. Tt is not possible for
tho Inv to discriminate on this question between
snloons -they must all bo closed or all loft open.
And this is what leads to porploxity aud discord,
and causes tho question Of Sunday observance
to bo mixed up with that Of liquor-solling,
whereas tho two questions rost upon totally
different principles.
The argument used by somo Of the saloon
keepers at the meeting on Saturday was, that il
they stopped thoir business Oh Sunday, thoy
could then insist that all otllor busi-
ness dono on Sunday, such us the rum
ming Of horso-cars, the hiring Of livery,
tho Bale Of meata md provisions, loading and
unloading Of vessels, and othor acts should 10
prohibited; and that enforcing 4 prohibition of
theso would compel the public to abandon tho
closing OF saloons. Tint kind of proceeding has
boon attempted elsewhere repeatedly, and las
always proved signal failure; and, what is moro
to tho point, has always resulted in q Judicial
decision TINT it was not competent for tho mu-
nicipa1ity to stop these occupations on Sunday,
but that it was competent for the law-making
power TO prohibit the sale OF liquor on Sundays.