Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-12
Enforce the Sunday Law Against
Dram shops.

Enforce the Sunday Law Against
Dram shops.
| There is no reason to think that the
dram shop keepers want to have prohi
/ bition contest in this city similar to thai
| which gave Atlanta such shaking up 8
| couple of weeks ago, and yet they are pur'
suing just the course that is calculated t.
precipitate it.
They have been warned time and again
to keep their back, as well as their front
doors closed on sundays, but the warning
does not appear to be needed. On last
Sunday drunken men were to be seen on
the streets in the neighborhood Of some of
the groggeries, and it is reasonable to
suppose that they obtained whisky at
these places. 1t is not necessary TO relt-
crate the statement that peace-loving,
churcb-going and Sabbath-respecting citi-
zens are not going to stand this sort of
thing. If the dram shop keepers refuse
to comply with the laws that are made in
the interest Of morality, peace and order,
the only thing to be done is to shut up the
dram shops.
There may be a sentiment among the
dram-shop keepers that it isn't possible to
vote whisky out in this city. That IS the
kind of sentiment that prevailed in At
lanta, but it was proven at the ballot box
that it was mistaken sentiment. 1t is
surprising how strong the feeling is in
this city, even among those who are
CIaCcad q . Irink I'M rlaa in IN Of abnf
ting up the dram.shops. Many of them
would not like to see theprohibition issue
presented at the ballot box, because they
don't want certain voters who are row
practically DISTINGUISHED rendered eligl-
BILE again on account OF the bad influence
they would have in county affairs, but If
the contest comes they will be found work
ing and voting with the prohibitioniss.
Even if at the ballot-box the decision
were against the prohbitionists there is
the Legislature, which will not need much
urging, from present signs, to pass a gen.
eral prohibition law. We make thes
suggestions for the benefit of the dram
shopkeepers that they may understand
that if they don't want a prohibition con-
test they must not pursue a course cal
oulated to provoke it.
There are most excellent reasons why
the dram shops should be closed on Sun
days, even IL they are permitted to be
open on other days. One of these is that
on that day there are many idle people,
some OF whom are certain to become
drunk and disorderly II the temptation
to drink intoxicating liquors is presented
to them. In this city, il the dram shops
are permitted to Keep either their front or
back doors open, the temptation is to be
met with everywhere. 1t is almost i'm
possible TO walk the distance of a square
in any direction without passing a dram
shop. The law, therefore, which requires
the closing Of dram shops on Sundays is
not based on Puritan bigotry. 1t is
founded on charity to the weak and I'M
and the respect that should be
paid In every Christian community to the
Sabbath day.
some Of the dram shop keepers doubt
less do comply with the law, and others
would II itwere not for the fact that many
do not and will not comply with it as long
as they can avoid doing so. 1t is said
that those who refuse to obey the law are
willing to take the chances OF being ar
rested, because if arrested the penalty is
only fine. and fine is, In fact, no pun
ishment where the profits are so great:
and, besides, there is a suspicion that all
who violate the law are not arrested.
The Mayor, in his remarks at the special
Council meeting some days ago, called
attention to the objection Of the police to
being considered "informers." If this
objection is very strong is it not posi-
BILE that information respecting the Sunday
dram selling business is not as full as it
ought to be. If there are policemen who
object to doing their part in preventing
the selling of whisky on Sundays let them
be marked out for removal from the force.
An officer who will not do his duty in one
respect is very apt to neglect it in others.
There will be no trouble to get policemen
who will do their whole duty, and who
will report dram shop keeper for violat-
ing the Sunday law as quickly as they
will arrest drunken and noisy man who
has been rendered partly irresponsible by
the dram shop keepers act. II the dram
shop keepers have any regard for their
interests they Will put a stop to their
Sunday business.