Daily Republican., 1881-06-22
Paterson,s SUNDAY LAW.

Paterson, New Jersey, is enjoying a
first class Sunday liquor law excite
ment. Aside from all prejudice it may
he stated that the authorities natur.
ally desire that the sale by retail OF
strong drink on the Sabbath may be
entirely suppressed. Everybody knows
that this would be good thing not
only for Paterson, but for Wilmington
and all other cities. They know that
grog shops open and in full blast on
any day of the week, are of question
able prCpriety and result in no lasting
benefit to the community, and they
know that it is only tolerated not for the
good that is done, but because there is
no way of abolishing it without entail
ing other evils and without question
able exercise Of legislative authority.
But about the social damage of Sunday
liquor selling, and the necessity of re-
ducing it TO minimum there can be
no rational doubt. 1t offers temptation
while leisure from labor gives double
opportunity for indulgence. This is a
matter which has been discussed in all
cities of any considerable size and no
doubt If Bailitf Brady is dtigent and
successful in squelching out the sale of
liquor on Sunday we may expect the
scenes in Paterson to be repeated in ,
Wilmington. The matter has been 4
thoroughly discussed in this city from {
time to time and feeble spasmodic at i
tempts have been made to enforce an {
obedience Of the Sunday laws, but it d
only resulted in closing a few barber $
shops, cigar stores, and feeble phil v
lipic against newsboys selling certain t.
papers on Sunday. OF course nobody s.
ever suspected that our Mayor was in 5
earnest in enforcing ebservances of Sun 7
day laws and consequently the excite b
ment never made as much as a ripple 3
upon the surface. But in our sister CITY Il
or Paterson there is earnestness and OF
heart in the work. The pain practical Il
manner of fact people of that city can SC
not see the use of laws unless they are 81
enforced and they have gone to work in co
earnest to enforce them, but only against sit
saloons. The effort to enforce a
he law has aroused the saloon keepers re!
md they have come to an equal deter w.,
n4ha'ioh that all sunday laws shall be pa
nforced. Everybody knows that there
re other Sunday laws besides those
Thich forbid dramselling. There are col
lws which forbid unnecessary travel ag
nd trade, shaving for hire, the run inc
ing OF horse cars, newspaper vending, AS
iring HI -ses and carriages and riding att
n them; ei n milk it seems may not on
70 lawfully delivered on sunday. The loy
lquOr dealers of Paterson have deter tat
nlned to prosecute all violating any Ell
articular Sunday law. Most of them att
hut up their saloons last Sunday and ant
hen did their rest to shut UP other as
hops by entering complaints against ser
he proprietors Of them. There can be con
doubt that they have the law on or s
leir side and they seem determined to ing
lake the most of it as weapon of de- mig
nee which it was never intended to CA,
>. But after all the Paterson liquor at |
ealer can only secure a momentary but
iumph. The good sense of the COM bul
unity will help it out of its dilemma. peo
be laws were intended not to discom- tho
ode but to benefit the public, and this are
tort to enforce impracticable laws will
suit in securing needed legislation to u
'nforn to the present wants of the trol
mes. tha