The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-24
Tho Sunday Spasm OF Police Au-
thority.


The raid of the Police Commissioners on
the liquor dealers last Sunday is generally
disapproved; not because any good citizens
object to the proper enforcement of the law,
but for the reason that these spasmodic
attempts to put in operation a statute that
hns been suffered to remain dead letter for
years are seldom productive of good In
this particular instance the arrest of largo
number of men for doing only what they
have done Sunday after Sunday under
the eyes of the police without let or
hindrance was rendered the more ridic-
ulous since scores Of liquor stores and
beer saloons within a stones throw of
the police stations were allowed to
accommodate their customers all day long
by taking the precaution of allowing en-
trance and egress by side door. Indeed,
upon the adjournment of the courts that
were opened on Sunday evening for the re-
lease of the five hundred prisoners, it is
stated that judges, counsel, bailers and
bailees adjourned to neighboring establish
ments to refresh themselves with lager and
whiskey after their exhausting labors.
Few people who have lived their lives in
New York can fail to recall a number of in
stances in which these spasmodic evidences
of energetic action have been afforded by
jealous and generally newly appointed
officials. There are many who will remem-
Der occasions when the German beer sellers,
in the earlier days of lager drinking and
''bisr gartens," were dragged through the
streets and dubbed by the police for keep
ing their houses open on Sundays. Periodi-
cal raids on dsorderly houses, gambling
houses and policy shops are as much an in
stitution in New York as the annual cleo
tons. Yet, after they are over, the business
of Sunday beer selling, gambling and policy
dealing is renewed with increased vigor.
The liquor raids are the most ineffective of
oil, because the dealers know that hotels and
club houses sell wines and liquors on
Sundays as freely as on other days,
and that, as on Sunday last
side door and a satisfied policeman are
oil that arc required to turn aside the Of
tended majesty of the law. Hence the un-
fortunate individual who does openly what
his neighbors do secretly, or who has not a
friend in uniform, feels that he is unfairly
treated, and regards himself as a victim in
stead of violator of law. There is shrewd
suspicion, too, that these spasms of official
virtue frequently cover Matchmaking opera
tons, and they bring the law into contempt
instead of making it respected. No person
doubts that in a few weeks, if not next Sun
day, there will be as free trade in beer and
liquor as there has been for months and
years, despite the terrific onslaught of Mayor
Wickham's Commissioners
If we are to have Sunday liquor law that
can be enforced we must have one that salts
fies the good sense Of the people and the OBJ.
servance of which will be demanded by
popular sentiment 1t is unjust to allow a
law to become obsolete by disuse and then
suddenly to pounce upon and punish its
violators Probably the wisest policy would
be to leave tho power to regulate the Sunday
traffic in beer and liquor to the Common
Council in a city like New York, and then
such ordinances as the masses of the people
desire would be enacted and enforced The
London practice of requiring all saloons to
close their doors on the Sabbath until six
o'clock in the afternoon would no doubt
meet with approval here but it is not de-
sirable that the Germans of the city should
be compelled to forego the amusement of
taking their families to beer garden on
Sunday evenings and of enjoying themselves
as they do at home 1t is especially unde-
sirable that law should be suffered to Law
dead for years and then BIO suddenly en-
forced only to drug in a netful of victims
and again as suddenly allowed to become
practically defunct This unwise and I'M
just course brings not only the police au-
thorities but the law itself into contempt.
Tho Comm issioner OF Jurors.
At length, after q prolonged litigation in