San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-03-24
SHORT STOPS.
What the People are Saying.


prohibitiOnists were on hand, to hel
steer the proceedings in their direction.
There had been a wide advertisement o
this meeting in the press and by hand
bills, and it is fair to assume that it EN-
braced the great body of the Sunday Law
cru. aderS in our county and city.
1t is surprising that out of population
of $4,000 people, voting population o
$500 in the city. no more attended thi;
meeting. Had the doors not been guarded
aud everyone applying for admittanct
been questioned whether they were in ia
VOr of the movement, and only those ad-
mtted who were favorable, except the
reporters and officials. there would nc
doubt have been better audience.
The audience contained very few citi-
ZenS of prominence, either in business or
social circles, while there was an entire
absence of representatives of large sec
tions of our best cilizeas. Yet these
gentlemen assumed to speak for the great
body of the law abiding, substantial peo-
pie OF our city.
The meeting it.elf was plain proof that
there existed no general demand for its
Inauguration. lis proceedings were in
Spired by few persons who are anxious
to inaugurate religious war. and TO re-
vive the dead carcass Of prohibition in
our midst
The two shining lights Of the occasion
were MeSSrS. HaltOm and Fleming, two
local attorneys: their speeches We're of
the demagOgUe Order:-HaltOm is HOgg
Democrat, and Fleming is Clark Demo-
crat:-they have evidently joined part
nership to bring about "a recOnciIia-
ton of the differences between the two
De ocratic wings of the party. and TO
make prohibition and the Sunday law
common cause.
Mr. Fleming is a comparative stranger
to many of our citizens, although he has
been here ever since the Arkansas Pass
railroad muddIe began, being master in
chancery: he has grown fat, sleek and
prosperous in connection with that rot
ten concern. His ignorance of the people
of our city may be some excuse for his
present position as commander in chief of
the Sunday law brigade. Bat HaltOm
cant plead such an excuse, because he
has been an active Democratic politician
and "Onc of the boys" about town for
years.
Mr. Fleming asserted in his speech tina
it was not a relig Gus question. but Simp-
ly a matter of law. Well, if religion has
nothing to do with it. what business has
our Young Mems Christian Association
with it?
If it is not a prohibition movement,
what business have our old prohibition
veterans monkeying whit.
The plan proposed by General Fleming
who assumes the roll Of Gen. Booth at the
head OF the salvation army. is that the
of y be a sort of spy corps,
who will Oegin operations by prosecuting
the peace officers if the saloons and gar
dcns are permitted to open on Sunday.
If any one of these gentlemen know of
an offence being committed they should,
as good citizens, go into the courts and
have the offender brought to trial; but
no. they propose to attack the peace Off
GERS IN general and thereby avoid the
diSagreeabIe necessity Of individual re-
SpOnSibilitv, in thus attacking their law
a hiding peaceable neighbOrS. They want
to hide behind the coat tails Of the sheriff
and the police.
1t is all piece of hypOcrcy to claim
tn at we have the most law abiding IN
munity in the country. the most prosper
Gus city in the state. and in the same
breath to assert that in order to maintain
our reputation aud prosperity, a hundred
or two religious CrankS must have their
way about things; our law and order city,
our prosperity has all grown under the
existing state OF things.
The reason that the Sunday law is a
dead letter in our city. Is because it is an
L..
all business ceases all work Is suspended,
except such institutions that contribute
to the enjoyment or amusement OF the
people.
Our churches have full sway on that
day, and in fact on every day of the
week that they choose to open their
doors, without any disturbance, let or
hindrance. WHAT more can be asked?
But deeper than this, public sentiment
in this old Alamo town is liberal, it is
utterly opposed to any interference with
the religion or tastes of the people, and
they will not tolerate the enforcement of
the Sunday law as a restriction upon
their habits of life.
The mistake that Gen. Booth Fleming
and Captain Haltom make is that they
think they are fighting the sa loon men
when they are really fighting the great
body OF the intelligent, law abiding citi-
zens of this city
The worst they can do is to annoy citi-
zens equally as respectable as mselves,
but that is all.
Our saloon men, our open garden pro-
prietOrS, our theatrical managers, and the
people who patroniZe them do not belong
TO the criminal classes, and the sooner the
Sunday law crusaders find it out, the
better for them and our city.
In Judge Kings Court.
In this court Amos Dodson has brought