Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-04

must refer to the platform, and not to the
journal The attitude in which the Dem
ocracy is now placed is one of hostility to
the existing Sunday law. 1t is committed
to the repeal of that measure, and it is not
committed to any substitute for it. If,
therefore, Democratic legislature should
be elected on this platform, it would have a
right to assume that the people of Cali
fornia demanded the repeal of the Sunday
law, and did not demand any other Sunday
legislation. To support the Democratic
ticket, consequently, is to take the ground
that we do not want any legislation for the
protection and maintenance of a seventh
day popular holiday.
The implications OF this are important.
Should the State 60 Democratic the Sunday
law would be repealed, and no other law
would take its place. In effect this would |
amount to the abolition of Sunday. Ex-
| perience shows that where there is no re-
straint, either by law or custom or public |
opinion, the tendency is to gradually en-
croach upon the Sunday. This tendency |
is exhibited even by those who desire some
kind of Sunday law for their own protec- |
ton. Thus the farmers, who desire that |
the saloons should be closed on Sunday, to |
keep their hired men sober, are quite will. |
ing that the general store and the black
smith shop should remain open on that
day, and would probably prefer to make
Sunday their shopping and supply day, SO
as to be able to do teamwork on Saturday. |
In the absence of any law the pressure
upon most business men would in no long |
time compel them to keep open on Sunday, |
end thus the working classes would lose |
their holiday altogether. In the Demo-
cratic platform there is 20 guarantee offered
against this state of things. On the con.
trary, it leads up to precisely such an ar.
rangement. Yet it is impossible that the
Democracy can carry the State without the
votes of those workingmen whose interests
are so seriously threatened by the Demo-
cratic platform.
The fact that an Endorsement of that |
platform would be interpreted as demand
for the abolition of all Sunday legislation
makes it impossible for the working classes
to give it their support. They have moth
| ing to hope or expect from the party which
takes the position that Sunday should be
abolished. And here is the opportunity
for the Republicans. The Democrats have
tried to deal with this question, and have
failed. Their opponents are in position
to step in and accomplish what is required.
The RECORD. UNION has already showed
how this can be done. The present Sun
day law is Objectionable, in that it sacrifices
substance to shadow. In the effort
to do what is impractisable it ignores he
work which can be effected. The first
thing to be secured is Sunday holiday for
all. The present Sunday law does not Sc.
cure that. By excepting many occupa-
tions it deprives those who are employed
in those occupations of their day of rest
An intelligent and comprehensive statute,
such as We trust the Republicans will
pledge themselves to, will make no excep-
tions. 1t will give to everyone the same
rights of rest and leisure. 1t will discrim.
mate neither against nor in favor of any
occupation. 1t will leave the people full
liberty to do as they please with their Sun
day, but it will provide that whoever wishes
to keep man or woman at work on that
day must see to it that they get one days
rest in seven.
Another important provision which we
strongly recommend is the making of six |
days working week, and the working
month lunar month. These provisions |
are directly in the interest of the working |
classes, and are necessary to the protection
Of the Peoples Sunday. Let it be declared |
that all Sunday work must be extra work,
and entitled to extra wages. 1t will even
be well that the Sunday wages should be
higher than those for week days. Then,
the law having guarded the interests of
the employed classes, the employer class
could safely be freed from all restraint. It
would be found that under such law
nine.tenths of all occupations would be
suspended on Sunday. The fact is that
though in the absence of a Sunday law
competition would keep the stores open,
there is very little extra profit in that kind
of arrangement. In every community
there is certain average weekly expendi-
ture. Where Sunday is observed this is
spread over six days. Where Sunday is not
observed it is spread over seven days. The
result, therefore, would in most cases be
that the extra expense of keeping open on
Sunday would more thai eat up the extra
profit, and SO the holiday would be OBJ
served.
We commend law framed upon the
principles we have outlined, to the Repub-
lican party, and to the voters of California
generally. The question involved is one
of real Importance. 1t is not a controversy
over distractions. 1t comes home to every
man. All men need a holiday once a
week. 1t is necessary for health and edu.
cation, and the cultivation of the higher
faculties, and social development, and rest,
and recreation. The Democrats have de.
clared themselves in favor of State policy
which would do away with this Sunda
holiday entirely. No matter how the
Democratic press may try to wriggle out
of this position, there it is in the platform,
and no man can vote for the candidates
who stand on that platform without voting
for the abolition of the Sunday rest day.
Let the Republicans take the course we
have proposed, and they will have an
advantage over their opponents of the
most important and conspicuous kind.
They will have an issue which will bring
to them thousands of Democratic votes for
it is very certain that no intelligent work.
ing man or employe in any occupation can
be satisfied with the San Jose platform in
this connection.
BEING DRIVEN TO WAR.