Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-11

not. The people OF California ought by !
this time to know what political parties
mean by anti-railroad talk. 1t is with |
this subject as it has been so many years
with the Chinese question. Everybody |
was assumed to have grudge against the |
Chinaman, and SO he was denounced as a
matter of course. The politicians, who |
are equally cowardly and dishonest, and
who lie with huency and precipitation
which are humiliating to witness, are al
way eager to anticipate popular sentiment.
They could subscribe heartily to the creed
which Hosea Biglow puts into the mouth
OF a candidate
| al du believe IN beiu this
Or that. oz it may happen
One way or tother haudiest is
To ketch the people nappn
II amt By princerples nor men
My preudent course is studied
| scent witch pays the best, an then
Go into it baldheaded"
The Democrats have seriously taken up
the Anti Railroad cry as a cover to their
real designs, Having no principles or con-
victions, and being ready to profess any
thing that seemed profitable to profess,
they have painted this sign on their booth
! just as any other Snowman would do.
| They took up the Sunday law in just the
same insincere way. They were aware of
the fact that there were two opinions as to
that question, and so they endeavored to
draft plank which should be capable of
more than one Interpretation. They were
certainly somewhat ambiguous in their ex-
preston, but after all they did not succeed
in evading declaration. The resolution
committed them to the repeal Of the Sun
day law, and it made them the allies of
that element which is organized to this
end. 1t may be that they did not per-
ceive the implications of their programme
at San Jose. but all the same they are re.
sponsible for it, and the direct implication
is that they are committed to the abolition
of Sunday. The repeal of all Sunday legis-
lation, under the style and title OF "sumptu-
airy legislation, is what they aim at. At
the ratification meeting in San Francisco
last Saturday not one of the speakers re-
ferred to this part Of the platform. Why
were they SO silent 1t is fact that no
part of the platform has already ELECTED SO
much comment, and it has been demon.
strated that there are numbers of Demo-
Gratis who disapprove of it. Why, then,
was no reference made to it on this occa-
sion? We answer, because no Democrat is
in position to deny the plain implication
OF the platform because the party is really
pledged to the abolition of the Sunday
holiday.
The Democratic party is committed to
the abrogation of the poor mans one rest
day. That, and nothing less, is the meaning
of the party's position. The repeal of the
present Sunday law, and the refusal to
substitute any other law for it, would
leave the State without any statutory pro-
vision for the suspension of secular work on
that day. 1t would not only thus become
free day, but would degenerate into a
working day. The main evil of keeping
saloons open on Sunday is that the people
who serve in them are thus deprived of
this holiday. But the same rule applies to
livery stables, and hotels, and drug stores,
and newspaper Offices, and in fact
all occupations which demand work on
Sunday. The Democrats, however, pro-
pose to give everybody the same opportu.
nifty, not to rest, but to work, on Sunday.
They are so careful of the liberties of the
people that they desire the latter to work
seven days instead of six. They are so
much the poor mans friend that they want
to take from him his one days rest and
leisure. 1t is useless for them to pretend
that they do not mean this, for this, and
nothing less, is what their policy involves.
The Republicans will, we do not doubt,
recognize the wisdom OF far different
programme. They will maintain the right
OF every man, woman and child in the
State to have and enjoy Sunday holiday.
They will pledge themselves to remove all
| OUeIdCleS W Vic COmp anu idtiOHal eu-
joyment of that holiday. They will re.
spect the differing views of their fellow
citizens and will put no stumbling blocks
in the path of any. They will realize the
fact that Sunday under the Constitution
can have only secular status in the eye
of the law, and that no provision linking
it in any way with religious observance
can be permitted. They will therefore
address themselve to making it holiday
for all, and such legislation as they intro
duce will be confined entirely to the
securing Of equal freedom to ALL That
is the kind of Sunday law which
the people demand, and which the Demo.
Gratis are pledged not to give them. But
the Democrats do not court discussion of
this plank in their platform. On the con-
trary, whenever it is mentioned they fly to
their tom-toms and hewgags, and begin to
make dreadful noise, all about Anti.
Monopoly. What they would do without
that most convenient issue it is impossible
to imagine. Like Charity, it covers a
multitude of Sins. But the Democrats
cannot expect that they will go through
the campaign without having the cloak
pulled off, and they are, unfortunately for
covering is removed.