The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-06-04
The Sunday Problem, Once M,

AulOub Tue NuElOub OplHlOus uuobvu
in an adjoining column with reference
to the local movement for the better
observance of e. existing Sunday laws
there are several that, however good
or however bad in the abstract. are to
some extent irrelevant. We alluds to
the readable discussion Of the proper
moral observance of the first day OF
the week, commonly called Sunday.
The moral aspects Of that day concern
each and all Of us, individually and
collectively, as Christians or non,
Christians; bat Just at this time, so far
as relates to this particular. work Of the
enforcers of a valid law, it is some.
what apart from the main issue. The
only subject with which the authori-
ties, the business men and the general
citizenship Of Scranton have TO- deal,
Immediately, is embodied in the in
t%erroSation. Shall the present Sunday
law be obeyed or detied2". That, in
brief, is the question before the
house
When such a query is pressed home
TO the conscientious citizen he imme-
diately ascertGins the real facts in the
case. It is o fact, we believe, that the
movement to secure q better observance
Of Sunday in Scranton was planned,
not wholly by Rsv. T. a. Dony, nor by
any particular person or persons in in
innate fellowship with him. We say
this in order 10 reassure those who
might have thought it the expression
solely OF q narrow or personal idea.
The movement wa the practical cul-
mination of religious and civic instrue.
tion covering more than u century OF
American history, representing all
classes and scots and faiths. and find
ing expression in that dictum of re-
publicanism which says that the will
of the majority shall be obeyed as the
law of the land. The will of the ina
jority with reference to Sunday OBJ
servance had been expressed in the
words Of al u~nrepealed statute. Less
than two years ago an effort to have
hat statute repealed by the legislature
Of Pennsylvania was decisively voted
down. Hence for the present the Sun
day law of 1904 had become the Sun
day law of today and as a law, until
changed, claimed the obedience of
every good citizen.
THE TRIBUNE is not sure that that
law. even though freshened by a recent
Reimbursement, is the high expression
of human wisdom that some of its
advocates say it is. But we are con-
WINGED of one thing, .decisively, and it
is that while the law stands, it should
be obeyed. Our government in no
particular is perfect; and no law made
by it can be said to be beyond improve
ment. Yet the good citizen does not
arrogate to himself the right to select
for himself the laws that he shall obey
and then stand forth before his fellow
citizens upon q platform Of defiance for
the laws that he personally does not
sanction. When committees from the
various churches waited politely upon
he various business men of this city
who had been. through common neg
lect. violating the Sunday law, and
courteously asked them to join hands
in a general movement which should
have for Its purpose the better obsarv-
ance of that law, it would have been a
good time for the good citizens who
had unwittingly violated the law to
have set Themselves right and to have
entered cordially into the campaign of
reason and concilatory argument.
Then there would have been no Dony,
with his unpopular methods, no farci.
cal arrests and no placards promul,
eating intended further violations Of
the law Of the commonwealth.
1t is perhaps not yet too late for the
voice Of reason to mako clear the fact
that SO long rs q law remains valid. by
the consent of the majority, it requires
the obedience Of every true citizen,
whether be likes the law or not. The
man who defies the law against theft is
condemned as q thief. an outlaw. 1t
does perhaps unconscious violence to
the self-respect Of certain honest, in
telligence and ordinarily liberal bust.
ness men Of Scranton to have the i'm
preston 60 forth, at their own desire,
that they are law breakers from choice;
And that IL a law does not please them,
they will publicly defy it. We say we
do not believe there are many men In
Scranton who would maintain su Oh an
attitude II they could be induced to
look at the logic of their situation.
calmly and dispassionately. without
reference to persons or personalities, and
with the same shrewd, i~ncisive good
sense that they evince in most other re.
lations Of life. Yet, because of certain
possibly moves by one man,
we have the peculiar spectacle pre-
scented of number Of men who In
other affairs are the peers of any citi.
zen, assuming a position contrary to
the fundamental teachings of our gov
eminent; and insisting virtually that
they, as individuals, propose hereafter
to decide what laws they shall keep
and what they shall brsak--a condition
of things which, IL it were permitted
to become general, would soon throw
law out Of the window and precipitste
literal chaos.
We are confident. 1t can be said in
conclusion, that this tangle will yet
n%nravel satisfactorily to the best inter-
,sts Of Scranton and the entire com.