The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-07-10
More on the Same Subject.


The Inevitable Sunday Law Question
salaan's Tempest in Tea-Pot-A
Further Discussion of the
Issues Involved.
The communication published i'll last
weeks issue Of the CHIEF over the nom.
de plume of Salaam, in which the local
question Of the hour-tlle Sunday Law
was discussed, and some terse arguments
advanced in favor of the measure, ex-
cited much comment throughout the town
and parish, particularly on the part of
the merchants and others who are OPP
posed to the enforcement of the Police
Jury's Sunday ordinance within the
limits of Donaldsonville.
We regret to say that, in the first heat
of the dissatisfaction which tho article
created among this class of our citizens,
the CHIEF came in for a share of the
violent criticism which has been visited
| upon the members of the Police jury and
| other advocates and supporters of the
Sunday law-criticism of a character
which probably gave rise to the report
mentioned by salaan that, "Those who
favored the law were disposed to keep
their own counsel less they subject them
selves to insults from anti-Sunday-
men," We know how difficult it is for
the generality of readers to make the
| proper distinction between the editorial
sentiments Of a newspaper and the opin-
| ions of its contributors, even though
most papers keep standing announce
ment in their columns-like that in the
CHIEF, first column, first page-that the
| editor is not responsible for the views of
correspondents; hence we can afford to
overlook the temporary displeasure of
our assailants, believing as we do that
the sober second thought has cooled the
fires of their Indignation and induced a
more reasonable Judgment in the prem
Uses.
In order that there may be no further
1nisappre!ension OH the subject, we de
sire it to be known to all readers OF the
CHIEF that we will publish amy proper
communication relative to the Sunday
! Lax or any other question OF public in
terest, no matter how widely divergent
the views therein advocated may be
from those held by the editor, providing
that the authors comply with the we'll
known rules governing contributions to
rendered the opponents and advocates of
the Sunday law alike. 1t is by calm and
free discussion of such questions that
correct and equitable settlements are
arrived at, and to such discussions, and
such only, the CHIEF will contribute all
the facilities at it's command.
Whatever objection may be made to
other portions of Salaam's article, all
reasonable and thinking men must rec
ognize the force of his argument that the
State law authorizing Police Juries to
enforce Sunday ordinances within the
limits of incorporated towns, constitutes
virtually an amendment to the charter
of Donaldsonyille and must be accepted
as such. No one will question the right
of the General Assembly to amend this
charter; and the amendment i'll question
is rendered the more binding, from the
fact that it is made by a general law, af-
fecting alike the charters of all towns
and villages i'll the State, and not by
special legislation, which is forbidden by
the new constitution. The CHIEF had this
point i'll view some time ago, but Salaan
anticipated us in its publication.
Another thing to be considered is this
a few years ago the merchants and tax
payers of this town raised fund and
employed counsel to resist the imposi-
ton and collection of parish taxes within
the incorporated limits of Donaldson
Vile, just as they are doing with refer
ence to the Sunday law. The result OF
the litigation was that the taxes had
finally to be paid, increased by heavy
penalties, costs of court and attorneys
fees. The Police jury derived its au-
thorty to levy parish taxes on the town
from the same source it obtains the power
to impose upon us the obligation of obey.
ing it's Sunday ordinance. We may con
fidentlv expect that the general princi
pies enunciated i'll the decision of the
first controversy will be reiterated ir
the second, as the two eases are in {
great measure identical. In fact, there
is less reason for anticipating the success
of the movemen against the Sunday or
dinance than there, was to hope for ;
favorable issue i'll the anti-tax contest
because: l. the Act Of 1873 confers The
Sunday law. making prerogatiye upoI
Police Juries in the most positive, un
ambiguous and express terms 2. The
main points of objection to the legality
Of the Sunday ordinance, as recited i'll
the petition of injunction filed by til,
attorney for the opponents of the meas
1lre, have already been passed upon b,
the Supreme Court-the constitutional
ty Of the law of 1878 has been affirmed
and the objection that it's purpose wa
not fully expressed in its title was over
ruled i'll the case appealed from Bato1
Rouge last year.
In the face of these considerations W
say that our merchants are taking all til,
risk they should do in contributing