Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-09
TEE COUNTY CONVERSION.

challenges ard compels the meet positive
and emphatic opposition. The Demo.
cratic party stands committed to course
which if successful must result in the abb
clifton of the Sunday holiday. The
question at issue is oae II which all cit
liens have direct interest, but which at
the SAINT time concerns the working classes
more nearly ttan all others. For where.
as professional men and those who are
IN practically independent positions can
always recure for themselves necessary
leisure and vacation, the workingman has
but one possible holiday in the week,
and that is Sunday. And it ia in order to
point out here that the contest is much
more than a local or State one. The fact
Is that the question of Sunday or no Sum-
day is being sgitated all over the country
to-day, and almost everywhere the Democ-
racy is found taking the same ground
which it did at San Jose. The action of
social forces which have been working
silently fo- many years has produced
condition of things in many of the States
which renders the settlement of this ques.
ton necessary. The tendency of unre-
stricted license has been seen to be
in the direction of total abolition of the
Sunday rest day, and for the first time in
American history it has become necessary
for those who believe in the preservation
of the holiday to come forward and fight
resolutely for il
There Is no element of fanaticism or
bigotry about the movement in defense of
Sunday, moreover. Readers of the RECORD.
UNION need hardly be told that this
journal woald never be found supporting a
proposition so characterized. We support
it because we see clearly that the abolition
OF the poor mans rest day is involved in
the Democratic policy, and because We
know that such contamination would have
the most mischievous results upon the
growth ard progress of the State. The
Convention has but to plant itself fairly on
the common sense of the situation to enlist
the sympathy and support of all the best
elements in the community, Democratic as
well as Republican, for the abolition of
Sunday strikes ss hard blow at Demo.
Gratis as at Republicans. What is required
is a frank and clear declaration in behalf
OF such legislation as will preserve the
Sunday as rest-day to the people. There
should be no expression as to the manner
IN which the day is to be employed. That
IS matter for individual determination,
But the strongest ground should be taken
against the Democratic position, and our
legislative nominees should be pledged, if
necessary, to sustain such enactments as
will secure to all, without favor or dis.
tinction, one day of rest in seven.,
No man is to be dictated to as to his dis.
posal OF his leisure. The law has nothing
to do with that. All it has to do is to pro.
vide for the maintenance Of a broad dis.
tinction between Sunday and other days !;
to preserve the former as the inalienable
holiday OF the poor, and to prevent all
attempts to merge it inthe ordinary work.
ing days. The present Sunday law has not
proved sufficient or satisfactory. 1t would
therefore be meaningless declaration to
indorse it. The people are unauestion.
ably in favor of a Sunday law which will
prove effective; which will secure the
Sunday to all, while interfering with the
rights of none. There is no desire any,
where to introduce Puritanical ideas into
our legislation. All that is demanded is
that the Sunday should be preserved as
holiday, and that all attempts to abolish it
as such shall be met and defeated. The
workingmen have very large stake in
this question. They cannot help them
selves save at the polls. If through mis-.
taken support of the Democratic ticket
they should enable that party to claim
that its position on the Sunday law had
been Endorsed by the majority, there would
be nothing to prevent the abolition of the
rest day; and it cannot be doubted that
such result would speedily follow.
The Democratic press is evidently afraid
OF this issue, but since it cannot get rid of
It's own platform it is being driven more
aud more to the only logical position open
to it, namely, to support the platform in
the spirit of its trainers. Thus we find
the Examiner already sneering at the advo.
Gates OF Sunday law, and seeking to rally
all the vicious elements to its side by de.
nouncing them az Puritans Long before
the campaign is over the Democratic press
will have been obliged to become the active
apologists of all the agencies which most
initiate against civilization as the Demo-
cratic party has long since been the chosen
harbor OF refuge of those agencies. The
Republican party on its part is as strictly
bound to oppose this policy, from its inhe.
rent tendencies and characteristics, and it
will. we trust, take SO bold and open DO.
sitlon upon it that nobody can remain
doubtful as to what it means. Sunday for
the masses. A free holiday, and holiday
protected alike from commercial greed on
the one hand and the demoralizing infiu
ences of vice on the other The Sunday is
as essential to the maintenance and expan.
sion OF our civilization as are our schools
and colleges and universities. Whatever
moral questions enter into the contro
versy are such as the Republican party can
well afford to challenge discussion upon.
By all means let the County Convention
give us sturdy and outspoken resolution
on this issue.
THE PORTE YIELDS