Salt River herald., 1878-10-26
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Qli1crent OCCASIONS annOunCcu tnat your paper should always be employ ed to advance the interests of PheniX, l ask the privilege of using your col umns to advance its interests, more particularly from a moral standpoint As it is my province to be a conserva- tor and advocate of all that is good and right, 1 may occasionally touch upon topics which may be of interest aud for the benefit of our community. For this purpose 1 have procured me q perch, seated on which 1 observe and note the transactions which tran spire in cur midst.
 Amongst the amusements indulged in by us, horse racing occupies the first position. That this is true, we infer from the fact that the races are held on the best of days, Sunday, and the course, in the most puhlic place, the main street of PheniX. The truth fulness is further established by the fact that there is race track within three miles of town, but it is consid- cred more convenient to have the track transferred to the main street in town, than for the people to go to the race grounds. This would, at least, be the conclusion a stranger would come to, if he were to judge from what has transpired in our midst on the two Sabbaths past.
 But, Mr. Editor, there are those who look at this kind of amusement differ ently. And while there may be vari- ous opinions about horse racing on Sunday, they have no doubts at all of the injury we arc receiving by having these races in town. -
 We object, in the first place, on the ground that racing in town is an in fringement upon our rights. There are those amongst us who believe in the sanctity of the Sabbath. They wish to enjoy it's rest and its bless ings. And as there is place provid. ed for such amusements. there is the proper place to hold them. Then let those who enjoy horse racing have the opportunity of doing so without imposing thcir methods of keeping the Sabbath upon the privileges of others.
 We object 10 racing on our streets because it endangers life. There arc those amongst Us who think it proper to have Sunday school on Sabbath af- ternoons- But what parents will all | low their little ones to venture upon the streets when from two tO four hOrscmen come tearing along at their utmost. 1 saw men who did not vcn- turc to cross, much less can we expect ladies and children to do so. Some may have asked. wherein have the rights of any been interfered with by racing? The right we have to the street, which you have entirely mon- | opoliZed and made unsafe.
 Again we object, because it places .
 Us in q bad plight in the eyes of stran- gers. IFe wish to build up the town we want men of enterprise and means to settle amongst Us. But by means of some strange infatuation, thls class of people generally believe in what is called keeping the Sabbath day They believe in churches, schools and Sun day schools. They have sons and daughters, and they believe in sur. rounding them with good influences. They do not believe in horse races, especially on Sundays and on the main streets of the town. Hence il is not very probable that we hold out the proper inducements for them to stay. I heard one gentleman say that "he had heard that PheniX was q quiet place, but it did not strike him so last Sunday"
 It has been asked, can it not he stopped by the proper authorities Upon this there seems to be d differ cnce of opinion. Yet we arrest q drunkard for disturbing the peace. and it seems that this is on a par with that. l am certain there are a goodly ] uulluCI Dl OuI NlNlLCllS lllAt IOliSlNlCl it nuisance
 But I have heard it questioned whether if those engaged in racing were brought ou trial, there was mora sentiment enough in the community to sustain the authorities inithe at tempt? What, is horse racing or Sunday the standard of the best nor als in PheniX? I, for my part, have better opinion of the people of Phe nix than to accept this indictment O their moral standing. However, at tempts should be made to refute thi
 charge, by taking proper measures t' prevent in the future what has takeI place in the past. And as our worth! Judge Porter has SO nobly taken ; stand against other disorders in thi town, there can be no better OppoI D tunity for those of Us, who are lover
 of order and peace, to let the com
 munity see where we stand, and no . leave our officials in doubt of receiy . ing the support of all loves of tn
 prosperity of PheniX- PALCs.
 M.N