New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-17
THE REAL SUNDAY QUESTION.

Ex-senator Warner Miller's manly and
straightforward presentation Of the political
Unconstitutional, State and municpal-involved
in the present campaign, at the Cooper Union
meeting Tuesday night, having once more set the
champions Of personal liberty" foaming at the
mouth over the "Puritanical bigotry" which In
s,sts upon the enforcement Of obsolete blue
laws" The Tribune again finds It necessary to
recall the attention Of these gentlemen TO the
actual question and the circumstances under
which the agitation began. The cutlery IS not
against a proposed law. nor law Of recent
enactment. 1t Is against the enforcement Of
laws the fundamental principle Of which has
been recognized from the foundation Of the gov
eminent; laws which, with the merest and most
unmportant changes in phraseology, have al
ways been in some form upon the statute-book;
laws which were so generally recognized as
being "in the interest Of labor and morality
that no political party, nor any faction OF
party, nor even any organization OF business
interests which might be unfavorably affected
by them, has ever had the hardhood to ask for
their repeal The Sunday laws have behind them
the sanction of immemorlal usage. They con-
tain nothing new or novel And they have al
WAYS been enforced. There Is nothing new or
novel or revolutionary in their enforcement.
There is not police court record for any Mon
day since the courts were established that does
not contain abundant proof that the Sunday
laws have been enforced Everybody knows
that.
Why then the hullabaloo? Everybody knows
that. too. Simply because an honest Police
Commission compelled an equal and impartial
enforcement of the Sunday laws In the same
measure and by the same methods that all other
laws are enforced Let II be kept constantly In
mind that the starting point OF the whole aglta-
ton was Just there, and that it meant In plain
terms immunity for certain classes Of lawbreak-
ers Talk as much they may about bgotry
and blue laws and infringement Of personal lib
erty the kernel Of the whole business Is In that
small nutshell, that a certain class or citizens
who possessed political influence and power de-
Oanded the privilege Of violating specific statute
laws 1t was when they found that a Reform
Administration, which they had helped elect only
because 1t put in office the Tamsens and Hoebers,
actually meant Reform; and that Reform began.
as II should with law enforcement, that the
hubbub arose Then the old comedy which be-
gan with the uprising Of the silversIniths OF
Ephesus was re-enacted, and the powerful per-
sons whose craft was in danger organized a
demonstration and procession and raised the
cry: Great is the personal liberty Of the brew
"ers and distillers and the beer and whiskey
drinkers" It Is not to be denled-for 1t is always
wise to look facts in the face-that the clamor
sent a SILVER through the ranks; no, not through
the ranks, but through the so-caled leaders and
managers Of the party which had done most TO
Initiate Reform and was chiefly responsible for
iptc hoI IN
by making Reform effective. And these leaders
and managers one day at their State Convention
at Saratoga made up their minds that 1t would
be dangerous to run athwart the wishes OF the
Ephesian sversmihs. and that, although the
issue they had raised was an all-engrossing one
that occupied the public mind almost to the ex-
clusion Of every other. they would just make a
sneak, dodge it. and go away without ever a
word Of reference to 1t.
1t was then that Warner Miller, who, II he
never did anything before, or never does any
thing again. exhibiting the qualities OF greatness,
certainly did it then, led the convention OF a
great party out Of the doubledealing and dis
honor into which the cowardce Of false leaders
was plunging it up to the high ground Of truth,
honesty and square dealing
The Republican party does believe in "the
maintenance Of the Sunday laws in the In
'tcrest Of labor and morality" The question
was I'D. 1t would have been cowardice I'm.
worthy Of the party to avoid meeting It, and
when Warner Miller brought the convention
10 face it the whole body OF delegates rose up
in recognition Of the manifest duty Of the party
as well as OF the courage Of the man who pro-
posed 1t, and without dissenting voice united
in the proclamation. SO then, In spite OF the
bubbles suggested by the afterthoughts Of cow
arily politicians, who are ready to sacrifice any
principle for the promotion OF personal ambi
ton the Republican party stands today and
always for law enforcement. 1t opposes the
granting Of special privileges to saloonkeepers
distlllers and br, wers on the day which from
time immemorial has been set apart as the day
of weekly rest in the interest Of labor and mo-
rality. 1t favOrs the maintenance OF Sunday
laws. 1t meets squarey and openly those who
demand their abrogaton, and upon that Issue II
cheerfully and confidently makes its appeal to
the npODle