Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-19
VIEWS OF LAWYERS.
DIVISION OF OPINION ON THE SODA
WATER QUESTION.

Attorneys Who Think the Old Law Should
be Modified-ReasYns Advanced for n
Modern Observation-Disclosures to
Fanaticism-Necessityo of Restraint.
LAWYERS were somewhat scarce in the city
Yesterday, as many of them are spending
their vacation elsewhere, but few were
caught on the fly, and they were found to
be pretty evenly divided on the subject of
Sunday selling of SODA water.
Rush Lake said the law ought to be
modified. He added: ga person should
not be made suffer for the want Of glass of
soda water or a lemon or banana. 1t often
happens that provision cannot be made on
Saturday for Sundays necessities The day
was made for man and not man for the day. ="
O.P. Robertson said he did not think the
law of 1894 suited to the present. 1--WE
grow restive," said he, under restraints
that hidebound Puritans of 100 years ago
thought quite liberal" Mr.. Robinson does
not believe in abolishing all restraints on
the observance of the day, but thinks too
much rigidity injurious to both physical and
moral health.
OPPOSED TO FANATICISM.
James n. Cook said: 81 am in favor of
restriction, but opposed to fanaticism on the
subject / want to see the observance of the
day maintained, but L think bigots may do
harm by pushing extreme measures"
A. B. Stevenson seemed to think there
wasn't very much observance Of the day
now, and thought more observance and less
law might improve matters However, he
is not puritanical in his ideas, and says
that once, when a small boy, he expected to
see an exhibition of divine wrath when he
heard a man whistle on Sunday. Mr..
Stevenson lived in Moon township when a
boy, and there Sunday, or rather sabbath" :"
observance, as most of the inhabitants term
it, is still quite rigid, compared with city
practice. Mr.. Stevenson referred to fact
but little appreciated by people in cities,
viz: In the country people generally labor
very hard during the week, and the cessa-
ton from work on Sunday is a relief
not appreciated bv>the people confined to
sedentary employment in Office work. The
latter feel disposed to exert their muscles,
while the former want to relax. Beside,
solitary life in the country makes attend
ance at church pleasant relaxation. People
meet their neighbors and exchange the
gossip of the neighborhood, and attendance
at church in a measure supplies the want OF
the club or the theater. Thus even lads and
day, with all its restrictions on everyday
behavior.
ON THE OTHER SIDE.
C. E. Cornelius said he favored strict
observance of the day. He did not lay
stress on the sanctity of the day, but thought
it possessed great advantages as civil in
stitution, and believed that a puritanical
enforcement of its observance was of benefit
to the poor and the laboring classes gen.
orally.
j. H. White thought modification of
the law to conform with the spirit Of the
present would be beneficial.
Robert S. Frazer did not believe in tam
pering with the law, as ne thought it would
be opening the door to abuses, and eventu-
ate in the forcing the poor to work seven
days for the same compensation now paid
for six days labor. He thought people who
did not like our Sunday should be allowed
to find some place that would suit them
better.
William R. Blair thought the Sunday
observance law salutary. He seemed in
clined to the opinion that it was in pretty
good working shape.