The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-16
TO KEEP THE SUNDAY LAWS.

Mass Meeting I'm Tacoma Protests Against
Bill introduced 1t Olympia.
TACOMA, Eth. 15.-[Special. This after
noon 1900 persons, two-thirds of whom
were men and voters, attended union
mass meeting called for the purpose of pro-
testing against the bill now pending before
the state legislature providing for the alb
clifton of existing Sunday laws SO far as
they apply to corporate towns. The meeting
was held at the First Presbyterian church.
The Rev. DIR. Cherrington. president of the
Puget Sound University, presided. Short
speeches were made by Rev. Cherrington,
Rev. Brown, Rev. Patterson and Rev.
MacLafferty, of this city, and Judge Drake,
of Washington City, chairman of the Puy-
allup Indian investigating commission.
Representative Garretson of Pierce county
also spoke in favor of killing the bill.
The principal reasons urged why the
present Sunday laws should not be
changed were that if this proposed step
were taken the laboring man would lose
his Sunday entirely in the course of time,
inasmuch as it was assumed that the OPEN
the like on Sunday would eventu-
ally result in workshops being
opened, at firststo meet a demand, and that
this would pave the way to the opening of
manufacturing establishments, and the
application Of the rule that man must
work seven days i'll the week for his daily
bread.
1t was urged that present Sunday laws are
good enough. in fact, the best to be had
As the bill renders nugatory in all corpor-
ate towns the vital principle of the present
law it was held that every honorable effort
should be made to accomplish its defeat.
The Rev. MacLafferty went for the press
of Tacoma with hammer and tongs. He
wondered why the newspapers Of this city
people Of Tacoma Of the existence of this
bill. Had the people relied for their in
formation on the newspapers of Tacoma,
the reverend speaker declared, they
would not even have suspected that there
was such bill before the legislature. He
the legislature just at this time, when the
Anti-Sunday Saloon Association of this
city was making q vigorous move toward
compelling the city or county officers to
see to it that the saloons, backdoors and
ALL are kept closed on the Lord s day. Did
they, the officers, who ought to look after
this matter, read the handwriting on the
wall? He said he did not make any accu-
sations, but he thought there was evidence
by coincidence somewhere.
During the meeting it was repeatedly as
serted that If the present Republican legis-
lature passed the bill against which they
protested, they would do all in their power
to down the Republican party at the next
election. This sentiment was cheered to
the echo. The following preamble with
between one thousand and twelve hundred
names attached, will be forwarded to the
Lawmakers:
To the Senators and Representatives OF the State
of Washington Honorable Gentlemen: We, the un-
designed citizens of the state Of Washington
have heard with surprise OF the bill introduced
whose object 10 to do away with all existing
Sunday laws, in 20 far as they apply to corpor-
ate towns.
We solemnly protest against the passage of
this bill.
We believe the civil Sabbath is an American
institution.
We believe the repeal Of our excellent Sunday
laws would be step backward, and one which
no political party can afford to take.
We, therefore, petition and pray you, a. our
representatives, that the existing Sunday laws
be left unmolested by any legislative action
whatever.
A. N. Fitch, Robert Wingate. Rev. G. o.
Brown, Rev. ]. NJ. Patterson and w. H.
Fife were appointed committee to go to
Olympia and urge the defeat of the objec-
tiOnable bill.