The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-07-28
ACQUISITION OF DISCRETION

A'vast deal has been written on the sub
ject Of sumptusry laws, and from every pos
sible standpoint. There have been moral
philppics, hygienic theses and political dis.
QUESTIONS without number pennei and pub
lished, and speeches, I'D libi.um, delivered for
and against Sunday law. In so far as the
states action 10 concerned, the matter is set
tied until another legislature, which may or
may not make alterations. The state has law
npon it's statute books requiring all places
Of business, save few specially excepted,
to be closed from midnight on Saturday
nightu midni lht on Sunday night. That
this law, 10 ito extreme requirements, par.
takes of the seuseless rieidness of the an
cient blue laws of New England. there
isno sort Of gu 'stion. If It's provisions
are impartially and vigorously enforced an
undertaken cannot supply q. coffin for the
burial of the dead; the confec,ioner or fruit
vendor cannot sell lemon for the use and
benefit of the sick;the livery man canno. hire
his carriages for the accommodation of the
mourners and friends of a dead person to
attend the funeral; the telegraph company
dare not receive or send II message TO sum
mon ply stefan or tho relatives Ola sick or
wounded person to his bedside. This is the
nature of this Sunday law, and if by lis own
n tra, 10 hn Ia, H.ls
is vigorous and impartial enforcement, why
have i: on the statute book? " makes Il
farce of justice, btgeis dlsregard for the
sancli,y and majesty Of the law and bring.
the courts Of the cou try into contempt for
tho statute books to be encountered
with laws that are not enforc.
ed, that the public opinion
fully or to any considerable extent, views
with dstnste and rebels against. II nc
doub! is true that the bulk of the people OF
this state who are opposed TO the Sunday
law now in force live in tho towns and cities
and this is because its operations arc NOR,
burdensome there. In the country the poo
pie arc Indifferent about it or else they WITH
few exceptions endorse it. The principal
reason why it is specially Endorsed by IN,
portion of the population of the state, living
outside Of the towns and cities, is because
here and there in the country are little stores
or wayside barrooms where whisky is sold
and on Sunday they arc made tho resorts OF
that class who will devote the leisure of Sum
day to caGouslnS, card playing and
horse racing, to tho great annoyance
and scandal Of that large m.jority who de-
sire to spend the Sabbath in quiet and peace.
fal recreation and rest. This law closes her.
mtticslly, AS it were, these country resorts and
protects the country people who have no OF
hce-s in their midst to protect them. In this
article We are no! considering at all the re-
ligious sentiments or motives which alone
prompt large class to favor the law. la
towns and cities there are multitude of CT,
cumstances and Influences imperative ia
their nature, that exist TO make this law a
hardship and an irksome burden which do not
exist in the country. We will take our own
city for illustration. We arc great rail,
road centre, and every day people arc COM
log and going who make Dallas temporary
stopping place. On Sundays our hotels
and boarding houses arc full of transient
people whose wants are many and various,
and whose opportunities for supplying those
wants save rs they occur, are not like those
of the citizen who, knowing the law, can
prepare fer them in advance. There are
hundreds Of people living in towns and cities
who cannot, like people living in the coun
Try. provide against their necessities for
months or year in advance, but who being
consumers entirely and depending upon their
isily toll 10 provide the means with which
hey must buy every,hing-ih other words,
living from hand to mouth day by dsy, fad
his Sunday law a grea, hindrance to their
and their comfort. The in
habitsnts Of cities and towns have not the
same facilities for recreation and
rest on Sundays thai people
in the country have. They have no woods
10 10 to for tho quiet solitules Of nature;
hey don't all own horses and carriages for
morning and evening drives aud pent up is
.h'y are all tho week within tho dreary walls
If tho counting room, the sslesroom. the
hop or the office, they med recreation aud
'est Of some kind on Sunday their only
lay Of cessation from toll, that tae taxed
brain, the wea,isd muscles and the strained
nerves may recuperale. This rigid Sunday
sw stands in the way. The transient man
makes up his mind to 20 so somewhere else for
ho spending Of his Sundays. The tired and
worn clerk, or book keeper, or merch.
mic, or lawyer, or physician in
no sheer desperation Of necessity does
hat which he would not otherwi
10, lays in supply Of whisky or beer or
vine, or all three on Saturday, and
Vhiles away his hours the best be may, tai.
ng more strong drink than he ought TO take,
a.