The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-12
THE SUNDAY TRAFFIC.
SOCIAL CLUBS WITH BARS RE-
TAILERS OF LIQUoaS.

Keepers to Their Guests on Sundays
Decided to be Legal
The action of Mayor McDonough in try
ing to suppress the evils arising from keep
ing open tipping-houseS on Sundays in this
city should commend itself to every pe
perats and right thinking CITIZEN. Indeed,
it is doubtful whether any portion of our
citizens, outside of the smart alecks,n the
toughs, the drunkerds and the criminal
class, are opposed to the move. At any
rate, all who are SO opposed are not law
abiding citizens, for the action of the mayor
is commanded by the law, and the law is a
good one. The keepers of the respectable
saloons, almost without exception,
say they favor il; aud, be-
ing good citizens, they will
no doubt observe it. Some have heretofore
sold liquor on Sundays because all the
other saloonkeepers did the same, and they
feared loss Of patronage on other days if
they failed to give to their customers what
the latter could obtain from other saloons
on Sundays. There may be some persons,
however, who will, to use their own vernac-
ular, take in the town" on Sunday from
Saturday nights supply of whisky. to
show their contempt for the law, but after
they themselves have been taken in" once
or twice by our worthy MAYOR their ardor
for fun, or rather for tomfoolery and dew
ntry, will very soon cool and subside.
1t is reported that those saloonkeepers
who may hereafter be arrested by the city
authorities for violating the Sunday ordi-
nances will claim that the superior court of
this county has sole jurisdiction Of their
cases under state laws. This is correct. SO
far as the offense of selling liquors is con-
cerned. 1t is incorrect so far as regards
the mere keeping open of doors and win
dows to upphng houses. Over the first
otfense the city has no jurisdiction, be-
cause the offense is governed by
the state law passed in the
year 1862, which prohibits any
person, except as to works of necessity or
ordinary calling on the Lords day. Over
the latter ofrense-the keeping open of
doors or windows TO tippling- houses-just
as the keeping open of doors or windows to
any other place of business, the city can
impose fine under its existing ordinances,
notwithstanding the state can prosecute the
offender for keeping open a tippling-house
on Sunday. And the doors to a tipping
house are kept open if an entrance can be
rear to the building in which liquor is sold
or drank. 1t is evident, therefore,
that the fines will still be enforced under
the city ordinance, as well as the machinery
of the state court put in motion, and hence
the best advice for lawyers and others to
offer to the keepers of tippling honses is as
follows: Sell no liquor, and do not even
keep open your tippling houses, on Sundays;
for, as a former chief Justice Of our supreme
al in iad
to that court from this city, 1.-THE way of
the transgressor is hard, and sooner or later
light will be let in upon his dark places, and
exposure and punishment will follow"
The benefits to be reaped from a proper
observance of the Sabbath in this regard
are many. Our city will be relieved of
stigma Of long standing. Quiet. SO appro-
noise and loathsome less of the fuddled, red
eyed druukard. Crime will be lessened.
Self-respeot will be produced. Many wiveI
and children will be made happier. And
more bread will be put into the mouths Of
poor mems families, to whom it rightfull y
belongs.
The selling of liquor and the keeping
open of tippling houses on the Sabbath---that
is, from midnight Saturday to midnight
Sundays prohibited by our laws, and the
mayor, in enforcing these laws, shows that
he intends to perform his duty, without fear
or favor, according to the promise in his
inaugural address.
While the good work has been started, we
think this most opportune time to call
public attention to several grave and i'm
portant omissions and defects in our liquor
ordinances, with the view of having the
same righted and enforced.
First. there are certain social clubs in this
city which, as Is generally understood, sell
liquors to their members, and that too,
without a license from the city for such
privilege. They are liable not only to pay
for a license, but to pay fine for retailing
liquor without a license And they are also
liable, if drinking is allowed in their rooms
on Sundays. to be prosecuted for keeping
open tippling- on that day. There is en-
inent authority that even those social clubs
which merely maintain lockers wherein
their members keep private stocks of liquors
are liable to the city for liquor license.
There is no doubt about the correctness of
the law where the members buy their liquors
of the club or the clubs buy the liquors for
the members. This being true, the clubs and
the saloons should be put on the same footing
as retailers of liquors. No distinction should
be shown, by creating classes or allowing
privileges, between them. To do SO will
surely invite criticism and discomfort, and
weaken the efforts now being made to sup
press the illegal traffic in liquor in this city
on Sundays Therefore, each of the clubs
should be compelled to take out a license to
retail liquors, and to keep their bars closed
on Sundays.
Secondly. in the MORNING NEWS of Mon
day, Feb. 9, occurs the following:
"The all-night barrooms, which opened
at II o'clock last night, did lively bust
ness for awhile. There was large con-
tingent of the usual Sunday drinkers on the
streets at that hour, and they went at as if
they were determined to make up for the
lost opportunities of the day."
In these lines is depicted a shade of life
more applicable to persons who frequent
and own dives and other low, disreputable
resorts than TO that class who are supposed
to own and patronize respectable bars. 1t
is a degrading picture, to say the least.
Moreover, to say what concerns all the
people of this city, the keeping open of bar
rooms from 10 o'clock Sunday night
until 10 o'clock the following Satur-
day night, without intermission, is
disgrace to the city, and one
that can and should be corrected at
once under the following powers contained
in the charter of this city: ''The mayor
and aldermen of said city shall have power
and authority, from time to time. to make,
ordain and establish such bylaws, ordi-
nances, rules and regulations as shall ap-
pear to them requisite and necessary for the
security, welfare and convenience of the
said city and its Inhabitants. and for pre-
serving health, peace and good govern
ment within the limits of the same"