The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1892-06-17
The SUNDAY Law AGAIN.


prohibitions Of the statute. II
other words. the violation Of, the
Sunday law Of the State in many
directions had been customary OF
the Gulf Coast. When thiA wa:
discovered, or rather found 10 be
unsafe to GO further in these prac
tees, the infractions of the law
Ceased after some struggle, as the
idea was not wholly favored.
The agitation, for some cause.
has begun again. and it is being
demonstrated that many erroueou:
views are entertained on the sub.
ject, one Of which fastened upon
our entire Board of Mayor and Al
dermen a few days ago. They con.
ceived The idea that they had The
power to pass an ordinance, and
thereby exempt ice, meat AMI
bread dealers from the prohibited
occupations within the corporate
limits of the town. They were
advised, however, that they could
not curtail or enlarge, add to or
take from the State law. For fear
they would get their officers and
citizen; into trouble by such a de-
lusive and misleading act, we
communicated with the District
Attorney, our Circuit Judge and
Attorney General, all Of whom
readily cOncurred in the views eX.
pressed hy Judge Terial in his
letter, which we take the liberty
of publishing in another column.
But why this effort to evade or
escape the law of the State, which
is as old as the State, as popular
as it is old, and likely 10 be equal
ly enduring? There seems 10 be
an idea that this law, which is
willingly ob,eryed everywhere
else in the State, deprives the cit
liens of certain conveniences that
are necessary, and will work a
hardship on every well regulated
family. Our worthy Aldermen
are usually level healed enough.
but 1t is surprising that they should
have read the State law, which
makes a special exception Of
works Of charity" and "necessi.
ty,' and then to have conceived
The idea that they could be more
liberal than that by making spe-
cial exceptions. The man who
argues that the Sunday law de.
prlves the people of necessary
comforts and luxuries, and by its
harsh provisions stops necessary
occupations, has either never read
the law, or else he entertains a
more liberal idea of necessities
than he believes the courts of The
country would entertain, for the
law specially eXempts works of
necessity and charity. If the pre-.
paration and sale Of fresh meat.
fresh bread and ice are works of
necessity and the proof that they
are can be furnished 10 the courts
and julies, surely they can be
trusted to determine the question
of fact at issue. If they should
decide against the necessity, how.
ever, it would be no fault of the
law. Hence, we would suggest
to these would-be humanitarians
that they turn their guns on
Judges and juries and not at a
good law.
We are struck with the fact that
a goodly number Of these most We.
hemenl directors are but recently
from New Orleans, and hence, we
are moi surprised hat they should
be rather fresh an the Sunday law
question, as it is rather a fresh
subject in that city. But we are
also glad to say that the Supreme
n
Court of that State, only about
five years ago, stood up bravely
for the Sunday law, telling the
people of that State what Sunday
law was intended for, and what i,
meant. They reiterated what the
Supreme Court of California had
said was the sound doctrine in
reference to American and Eng
fish Sunday laws, which we repro.
duce for the benefit of those who
having no religion, want to con