Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-03
ABARKEEPEg oNrHE SUNDAY Law

ABAR4EEbEE ON 4 Al T. Sun DA Law
Al over the country movements are max
ing to curb the habit Of drunkeoueEs, and to
promote q steady, decent, sober way Of liv-
ing. A change is rapidly taking place in
the tactics Of the oppossrs OF drunkenness.
Instead Of devoting all their efforts toward
obtaining the passage Of prohibition lave,
attention is turned to putting into force e1-
listing laws, and, where complete prohibition
of liquor selling cannot be Obtained, to OBJ
tain tle passage of restrictive lava to as
great an extent as possible. Especially they
desire to increase the amount paid Tor
license to sell liquor, so as to suppress dis
orderly houses aud TO decrease the number
OF saloons, by which means those places
will be more readily kept under police
supervision, and compelled 10 observe
such regulations as are found necessa-
~ TO check excess aud immortality. In doing
this, the work the prohibitionist5 have ac-
com pIished in many years is not under
valued. The temperance societies, even when
failing to secure the legislation they desired
by their exposure of the evils Of intemper-
ance, have wrought wholesome change IN
public sentiment, and the vice OF iuiempeT-
snce today is held in degree of sbhorrence
little anticipated when the crusade against
Incorporate drinking was first undertaken.
1t Is owing TO advanced sentiment in this re
srect that efforts TO decrease drunkenness,
where full prohibition cannot be obtained,
are now making. II is believed that By put
Ting INTO operation existing laws forbidding
the sale of intoxicating drink 10 mioors, and
compelling the closing OF saloons on Sundays,
and other legal restrictions The laws provide,
much good may be done. To aim at procur,
ing The passage Of prohioiiive laws, and al
the same time tanely to permit existing laws
that may be regarded as suxiliaries TO the
more perfect legisl ltion, TO remain a desd
letter, il regarded % wanting in practical
effort, and q; ct OF The sensibls maxim
that ssys, "Whsa you Cannot do sll the good
you wish, then 90 all the good you can"
Next to tbs incrs sse Of the license tax, the
stop TO Sunday selling Ct liquor; or, where
that csuno, be dope, restrict the hours at
which liquor may be sod on Sundays, SO as
to close up the trade during the usual hours
Of, say morning divine service at the
churches, and at an early hour, say 10 O'Clock,
at night. Ga the subject of Sunday closing
a communication, fran barkeeper, appeared
in last Mondays New York Herald that
= ofo If h.
coming from such source, and
which contains a proposition that will
perhaps excite attention. The barkeeper
begins by saying: $40 prevent the sale Of
intoxicating beverages on Sunday would be
one CT The greatest aud most beneficial ar.
rangem eRts." He goes on TO say that il
would bring happiness to families, wives and
children would be better provided for, and
crime reduced; he adds, ST is on Sunday,
aud on Sundsy alone, that most working
men indulge too freely" be ,ause Sunday is
a day Of rest, and is also the time when the
toiiers have most money IN their pockets, 90
hat SUNDAY is the saloon.keeper's harvest
day" The vile and the children, he sayF,
are waiting for flther to come TO the nice
Sundey dinner that has been prepared, but
he is drinking, talking politics, or playing at
cards or billiards at the saloon. He comes
home at night stupid and abusive, he awskes
next morning suffering, repentaut aud
ashamed. Having thus tilted as 10 what
he knows, the barkeeper comes to his
practical suggesLioa; he says: Give the bar
keepers a chance and see what they can do
would euggest that barkeepers be licensed,
,.iti- tie l4uIe rstaudiDg that, il caught SELL
ing intoxicating beverages On Sunday, theil
licenses should be forfeited. Let no one
under twenty one gears Of sgs be granted a
license, aud only those who may be caRAid
cred capable of using discretion in the sale
of liquern Such law ssees would be
priced by the bartender, who has to do six.
teen or eighteen hour5 work day without
cessation; it would be TO their interest 10 aus
tain the Sunday law, and the conditions o
their license would give them the power to
refuse to violate it. They would be q body
Of detectives within the saloons themselves
they would have personal interest opposed
TO the money getting grasp Of uncon
scionable saloon keepers. In many citiei
the police are VIGOROUSLY remis
in dischargipg their duty in fuct
cases, they are bribed TO do so; but where the
whole body Of barkeepers we're painting fol
their Sunday release from the confinement
and continuous lsbor Of the week, there
would be force in favor of the Sunday Ian
more vigilant, more capable and more inter
ested on the side of the law than even tht
most faithful and honest police possibly
could be-,