Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-20
TRYING TO EvADE rHs ISSUE.


certain that the party will be called upon
to redeem its pledges, and as in that case
the assumption that the people have de.
cided against Sunday law would be Gu
tirely admissible, it is clear that the Dem
ocrats will in such circumstances be en-
couraged to do all that is required OF them.
The fact that there are members of the |
party who do not believe il the aboli- |
ton Of Sunday will not affect the action of
the organization. By adopting the anti
Sunday law plank the latter has deliber-
stely pandered to its worst elements, and il |
it is successful at the polls it will be con-
trolled by them.
And these considerations make it ap-
parent that it is impossible to vote the
Democratic ticket this year without voting
for the abolition of the Sunday rest-day.
No matter what excuses the Democratic
press and speakers may advance, the party
will be bound by its platform. II it is sue
cessful those IN whose interest the Sunday
law plank was inserted will have right to
claim that the majority approve their
policy, and therefore the conservative
Democrats will be unable to offer any op-
position to their demands upon the Legis-
lature. We have already seen, in the
practices of DIR. Glenn, how quick the
Democrats will be to adopt the new sys-
80 - IL
for Governor has, it is said, already abolished
Sunday on his huge farm, and compels all
who are in his employ to work seven days
instead Of six. And if the Democratic
plan should be Endorsed by the people there
can be no doubt that DR.. Glenn's system
would be generally followed. At present
it is not adopted because public opinion is
believed to be in favor of the observance of
Sunday. But let it once be perceived that
majority of the people care nothing
about this question, and the abolition OF
Sunday would follow inevitably.
The masses have no other protection in
matters of this kind than the law affords
SAISiil. ANAuCLI ulCu OuE vi SNtlN
are working for wages. They know that
if they refuse to work according to the
conditions fixed by their employers, the
latter can find plenty who will be less
scrupulous. Those who have families,
moreover, are obliged to put up with
great deal. They are not " foot loose.
They cannot afford independence. Living
from hand to mouth as most of them do,
they must hold on to their employment to
the last, and stand almost anything rather
than give it up. Employers consequently
would have no difficulty in doing away
with the Sunday holiday if there was no
law to restrain them, and even though
many employers might be opposed to the
change, they would soon be driven to
| adopt it by the mere force of competition.
II dozen stores were kept open on Sun.
day in a town, they would get all the
business done on that day, and the rest
would be compelled to follow suit, or lose
money. The virtual public consent to
the abolition of Sunday implied in DEM
ocratic victory would also be very infuen-
tisl in removing opposition to the new
plan. Those who were prompted by greed
alone would still be able to pretend that
they were only obeying public opinion,
and since the Democrats cannot succeed
unless the workingmen vote for them, the
4 - h. l,,,r,,oI I'll
that they themselves had consented to
work seven days instead of six.
The workingmen are indeed not only
those chiefly concerned in this matter, but
those in whose hands it lies. If they do
not care enough for the Sunday holiday to
vote against the Democratic platform, they
cannot expect that others who are less in
terested will do so. Sunday is the one
leisure day which custom has thus far
given to the poor man. That one leisure
day, which really affords him nearly all
the recreation and social life and enjoy
ment his life embraces, is now attacked by
the Democratic party. No matter how
the Democratic press may strive to con-
fuse or disguise the issue, it is too plain
to be evaded. First, there is the plank in
the party platform. Second, there is the
organization existing to use that plank as
leverage for the abolition of Sunday
Third, there is the certainty that Demo.
cratic success will be accepted as a square
vote in favor of abolishing Sunday. There
is no hocus-pocus or political jugglery
about this presentment of the situation.
We merely ask every man to examine the
facts for himself, and we say that no work
ingman who gives any thought to them can
make out of them anything else or any
thing less than we have here stated.
Take the Glenn ranch case as an illus
tration. The men at work for DR.. Glenn
cannot help themselves, except by giving
up the employment which they need. He
can, and does, coerce them, and he de-
prives them of their Sunday. There are
tens of thousand of men in the State, how.
ever, who are prepared to do precisely the
same, and who are only waiting for just
such popular sanction as the success of
the Democratic ticket would constitute
Here then is thoroughly simple and
practical issue which comes home to the
nearest interests of the working class as
scarcely any other can do. 1t is the ques.
ton whether that class shall hereafter have
a Sunday, or whether toll shall be cease
less. The Democrats, Willingly or unwit-
tingly, have committed themselves to the
no Sunday theory, and if they carry the
State the toilers may say farewell to their
rest day. That is inevitable under the |
circumstances, and if there is anything in
the platform or the campaign of half as
much consequence to the great majority of |
tine people as this issue, we have failed to
discover it, The fight is to be for the re.
tention of the seventh-d day holiday, and it
seems to US that every man who works for
wages, whether in field or factory, railroad |
shop or mill, store or saloon, must, if he |
has sense enough to understand his own |
interests, make up his mind not to sup.
port party which is thus pledged to the
abolition of the peoples Sunday holiday.
THE EGYPTIAN DIFFICULTY.
The halt in the Egyptian campaign
which has been called to get the opinion of
Europe upon the situation, would be very
dangerous with more powerful enemy
than Arnhi Pnshn and even with him IL IL |