Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-20

of wel-known people. It is thoroughly
liberal, admitting jew and Gentle, Chris
tian and free-thinker. 1t has established
branches in all parts of France. 1t keeps
an eloquent Catholic, Able GARNER, in the
field 1t publishes a monthly bulletin
which keeps track of what is doing in all
parts of the world. 1 find there full &C.
count of the Sunday question in America,
including the work of different leagues and
Mr.. Blair's bill, and not forgetting, Of
course, comments on the 'tpeculiarity" OF
the american consciences" which demand
such an extraordinary proceeding as closing
the Worlds Fair on Sunday.
How Sunday Observance Is Progressing.
Through the efforts of this league the
Postofiee Department in Paris has cut
down the Sunday delivery of papers by one
and the Sunday collections of mail by two.
The Minister of Public Works was given
an order TO close the railroad freight
depots at 10 o'clock Sunday morning, save
in the case of perishable matter, which
must be received and delivered up to noon.
and to allow the person sending or receiving
merchandise to request that it. not be
handled on Sunday. Since the agitation of
this league began the Minister Of the Ma
rine has ordered that the inspection of the
personnel, which formerly took place
Sunday morning, should be changed to Sat
urday afternoon, and in the army q law
providing day of absolute rest on Sunday
for the rank and file, which had fallen into
diruse, has been revived by several COM
manders.
The Municipal Council Of Paris has de-
clared itself emphatically in favor of the
cause, and has begun reform by giving the
workmen in the sewers day of rest and by
ordering its various departments to study
how work can be arranged to allow weekly
holiday to its employees There has been
great agitation among the various trades on
the question, especially since the Berlin
Congress of March, 1896, where, it will be
favor of Sunday rest should be carried on,
The typographers of Paris have asked that
that the journals be reorganized so that
each man can have one day of rest each
week, not Sunday but any day. The gree-
ers, shoemakers, jewellers and hatters
have asked for closing at noon
on Sunday. The butchers ask
for the day after p. M, the hardware men
want the entire day. Such demands have
been made all over France and with good
results At the congress held in February
by the League it was reported that nearly
all the factories in the north were closed
and many illustrations were given to show
that among the farmers less work was done
than formerly.
A Day for Women and Children.
The most serious Sunday case now up in
France is that in connection with q bill pre-
sented BY NJ. Jules Simon asking for legal
day of rest fer women and minors. The
bill does not specify the day, but the friends
of Sunday naturally believe that that
should be the day, and they have tried
three times to pass the bill with an amend
ment to that effect Every time it has been
defeated They argue that while naturally
Sunday would be granted yet if an employer
was an enemy Of the Catholics, or if his
work was pressing and he had the right to
select whatever day of the week he wished
from that in which the father
rested Thus one great object of the bill
would be defeated; that is the entire family
would not be united for one day each week,
but the father would work when the mother
was free, the mother when the father was
free, and possibly the children would have
still another day for holiday.
This excellent argument produces no
effect There is no reason for the opposi-
ton but fear of pleasing the Catholics 1t is
said that there are people so foolish in Paris
that they will not speak the full names of
streets of religious origin, but say Denis,
instead of Saint Denis, Antoine instead of
Saint Antoine, and Mr.. Leon Say tells of
Board of Control of provincial hospital
which, being obliged from lack OF funds, to
cut the meat from the bill of fare one day in
the week, took care that the day should not
be Friday lest the Catholics be pleased.
These same people prefer one day in six OF