The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-05-07
The Davenport City councii Reports on the
Temperance Petitions,


At the regular meeting of the Daven-
port City Council, last evening, Aid. Ficke,
of the Committee on Police, presented the
following report on the petition for an or
dinance closing the saloons on Sunday and
at IL o'clock on week day nights, present
ed by the ladies of the Temperance Asso-
citation at the previous meeting, viz:
After carefully considering the petition
in all its bearings, we have concluded to
report adversely thereon. Our reasons for
doing so are mainly as follows:
Section 4,072 Of chapter IL of the Code
makes it an offence for any person to en-
gage in any business on the Sabbath 1.-THE
works of necessity and charity excepted)
and subjects the party so violating to pun
ishment, and, in addition to the foregoing,
the various provisions and penalty of chap
ter 6 of the Code, known as the Prohibitory
Liquor Law, can be brought into requisi
ton.
1t is an uncontrovertible fact, that we
have upon our statute books laws not only
providing for the particular emergency
asked for by these petitioners, but laws
which, If they will use the means IN their
power in enforcing their execution, will
not only close saloons on Sunday, but Ell
fectually and absolutely prohibit both the
manufacture and sale of distilled liquors
of every kind to be used as a beverage
on Sunday as we'll as all other days of the
week.
These petitioners have it in their power
to arm themselves with all the panoply
which the strong arm of the law pr Divides
Tribunals to hear. courts to decide, anC
, sheriffs and constables to promptly execute
the judgements of the courts, to the full
extent of confscation and destruction of al
distilled liquors, kept for sale contrary Il
law. and the arrest, fine or Imprisonment
) of all dealers in the unlawful business.
The prohibitory liquor and the Sabbath
laws have been in existence for more thar
Is years and, with rare exceptions, have
not been enforced. Now, without discuss
: ing the right of the city, under its charter
! to enact on ordinance to the extent de
manded by the petitioners, we submit tina
tho history of our city for the past Is o
0 20 years in the non enforcement of tn
= statutes alluded to, demonstrates that pub
r lie opinion has not deemed the enforce
! ment of these statutes essential to tn
" peace and good order of 1.-THE city, and tina
q now to enact an ordinance of import SINH
lar to these statutes, would be productive
/: of no practical good Certainly no goo
that cannot be obtained by our presen
: laws, and would soon be forgotten, or eS
list as dead letter
C. FL. FICKE, Cou, poro,
L. j. JENNINGS, o''"' on 4 ''''>
e After some discussion as to whether tn
:, Committee had performed their duties G
i not the ayes and nays were called on me
ton to adopt the report, the vote being:
l. Ayes-Ald Ficke, Foster, Jennings
/ Klug, Usher and Priester.
:, Nays-Ald. Braithwhite. Dow, Scar:
:. Shaw, and Skinner.
: So the report was adopted.
y This, at least, is meeting the question
1t fairly and squarely, which is more tina
: our city council has done with the pet
e tons of our people. Our recently electe
|, moral and upright city council did nj
), even refer the petitions to committee {
e take any action whatever upon them, BIT
:. treated both sides with sublime indiffe
5 ence, hiding behind Bailey Davenport
1t ordinance regulating the liquor traffic