Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-27

leisure and repose as this seventh day hol.
day affords, and no man can preserve health
either OF mind or body, or do his duty to
his family, or rightly supervise the training
of his children, who does not have this
breathing-space.
If the question of Sunday or no Sun.
day were put to the vote, it can
not be doubted that the affirmative re-
Spouse would be almost unanimous. But in
the sharp competition of business it is
found that gradual encroachments are
made upon the rest day Ii Smith in.
sists on keeping his store open every day,
Brown and Jones, who do not wish to lose
their Sundays, are compelled sooner or
later to follow his example, and this kind
of contagion spreads, until at last there is
very little difference between Sundays and
other days. Then come the clergy, who
hold that the only legitimate use of Sum-
day is for religious observances and in the
name of religion they demand that every
body shall be compelled to suspend bust
ness on that day. As it is believed that
this class would, if they could, force every.
body to so to church on Sunday, strong
opposition is thus created But at this
point the temperance people step in. They
think, very illogically, that if they can close
all the saloons one day in seven, they will
achieve one-seventh of victory for their
cause. The fact is that the closing of all
the saloons on Sunday only results in the
procuring of the required drinkables for
that day on Saturday night. In London it
was found that drunkenness actually in.
creased under just such a law. But the
temperance agitation of course brings the
saloon keepers forward, and they join those
who are apprehensive that the clergy are
trying to restore Puritauic observances. In
this way sides are taken, and as the con.
troversy proceeds it not only becomes
bitterer, but DIVORCES more widely from
the real points in issue.
The Sunday law was an attempt to
patch up peace, but it was a failure
because it had not the sanction of public
opinion. 1t was regarded as dangerous
concession to the element which aims at re.
pressing healthful and natural recreations,
and therefore it has become dead letter.
And it did not effect what it is the first
interest OF the commonwealth to effect
namely, to secure for the poor man one
days rest in seven. A number of occupa.
tions were exempted from the operation of
the law, on the ground that they were nee.
essary TO the public convenience. The
men who gain their living by these occu-
pations were, no doubt overwhelmingly, sac.
rifioed in this way to the many Now
what is really wanted is such legislation
as will give to the poor man-that is, to
the great majority-first, his regular Sun
day holiday second, the fullest opportun-
ity to spend that holiday in the ways most
conducive to his pleasure. If there are
occupations which it is necessary to keep
continually in operation, the employees
should be guaranteed one day in seven by
compelling their employers to keep
staff sufficiently large to let every indivi
dual have his holiday once week. That
seems to us the most vital consideration: to
secure a Sunday to every man, woman and
child in the State. As to the observance
of the holiday, after it has been secured,
we hold that to be a question which must
be left altogether to the people themselves.
Let those who choose attend the churches.
Let those who choose utilize the day to
renew their acquaintance with Nature to
breathe the fresher air of the country to
hold little family reunions in suburban
places of resort to change their scene
and employment, and so refresh their
minds and bodies, and impart variety to
their lives.
The tendency of the age ia toward the
enfranchisement of the Sunday, not at all
toward its abandonment. It is availed of
more and more as a day of innocent and
cheerful recreation, and its effects upon the
health and civilization of the time in this
regard are eminently salutary. 1t is not
found that the people are prone to low
debauchery because they have the oppor.
tunity. In fact few things are more re-
markable than the general order and good
humor and sobriety which characterizes the
vast crowds which throng all the transporta.
ton routes leading out OF the great cities,
on Sundays. 1t is emphatically the holi.
day of the poorer classes, and it is cause |
for congratulation that they are learning
to employ it for their own good. Give them
the opportunities, and nine out of every |
ten will make sensible and benefcent use
of the day. And it is for the State to give
them the opportunities. Pull down all the
barriers. Interpose no offensive and
vexatious checks, born of bigotry and
falIacy, but let the people make the best
use they can of their one holiday. They are
thought intelligent enough to govern this
Surely they can be trusted to
seek and to guard their own welfare. The
first step, however, is to secure to all the
same freedom of action on the Sunday to
see that custom does not establish anv
Pariah class in our midst that none are
sacrificed to the convenience or the wants
Of others. This programme has the ad.
vantage of meeting the requirements of all
who are reasonable, and who respect the
inherent rights of the citizen. The legis.
lation necessary to carry it into effect
would be sufficiently simple. 1t is the
more to be commended to the public since
experience has already shown the i'm.
OF enforcing any such law as
the one now on the statute. book, and since
in the practical absence of any legislation
on the subject many citizens are deprived
Of the rest day which they should been
titled to demand, no matter what their &C.
cupation.
SENATOR FAIR AND THE CoMsTooK.