Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-01-18

embodying his ideas as expressed, was
introduced in the Legislature. The pro.
posal was tentative, but is opposed to
the present law. Mayor Strong's ideas
are summarized as follows: HE pro-
poses bold change, but at the same
time he wants it only for trial. The
public has the last word, and the keep
ing open of the saloons Sunday after
noon is to be decided by the public. As
it woulda't be possible just now to get
the Legislature to authorize this open
ing, the new mayor will go ahead and
help to dsObey the law as Mayor Schier-
en- has done. 1t is a peculiar state of
things, but under the circumstances 1T
cannot be helped. The ministers oppos-
ing Sunday opening are radical in their
objections. The saloonkeepers keep
right on SHINING against the integrity of
the police captains by paying them black
mail to be allowed to keep open. The
situation was made very widely known
by the Lexow investigation, but the
ministers believe they still are right
Strong has gone ahead and told the sa-
loonkeepers to come to an agreement
among themselves as to the hours of
Sunday sales The keeping of the sa-
looms closed has for so many years been
the method of marking off the metropo-
lis from the rest of the country, that they
are strenuously in opposition to the
! dropping of the distinction. 1t has been
a doubtful distinction, as Mayor Strong
looks at it. The law encourages black
mail in the police force. which in his
mind is greater evil than the making of
a few drunkardS as the result of Sunday
selling. AS the social influences that
prevail now to keep down the number
of drunkards would be just as powerful
during the open hours of Sunday as they
are now with side doors swinging open,
there would be nothing in the end lost in
better morals for the town. The may
ors plan is to have the saloons keep
open in the afternoon till an hour before
midnight. If the retail dealers associa-
ton agrees to keep closed on Sunday
mornings he promises to see they are
not interfered with in the afternoon. If
this is done, and the minority that now
defends the so-called Puritanlcal Sab.
BATH will realize the hOpelessness of the
situation, there may be more brains spent
in the task of Outstanding the new
conditions of the one day of religion.
Enough of setiment has been expended
on the so-called religious observance of
the dag that is in fact a mockery. A
little more brains will bring back the
interest and faith in Christianity of
! good many men and women who dsre-
gard it because it forbids the physical
relaxation and rest on that one dav
which, in the stress of city life. they
need far more than residents in the coun-
try"
This is the Metropolitan side of the
case, and is argued by the correspondent,
who ays: ''It is the belief of small
group of Protestant pastors that the
time has come for a new Christian dis
cussion of the order of the one religious
| day of the week. The conditions be-
tween city life and country life are so
very different and the growth of Ameri-
can cities has so changed the problem,
that if new lines were struck they think
that much more can be done in evangel-
ization than now. Singing classes on
Sunday as an instance receive the quiet
endorsement of many pastors, while in
some of the churches instruction is given
to classes of tenement dwellers on sub
jects relating to the laws of life and
health. The mention of religious sub
jects is commonly dragged into these
secular talks on Sunday, but there is
church where the religious Exercises and
secular classes are kept apart, though
instruction in both is given on the same
day. 1t has become impossible for all
the clergy to resist the evidence of their
own eyes that after the religious SER
vices of the morning their own parish
toner's will take to walking, bicycling
and driving in the parks. The enormous
pdJIOudS6 IGCGlNeu ny Ju6 nearby Sed-
side resorts is another object lesson. So
far they are afraid to brOach their many
good plans of utilizing the holiday spirit |
Of the people, in such ways as open. air
preaching and chorus singing, by means
of simple festival occasions with the
brightest side of religious ideas control
ling them and by other methods"
The eyes of the world will be upon
Mayor Strong, in his experiment-the
more so if the bill referred to becomes
law.
The latest report is that Mayor Strong
recedes from his position that the ex-
pertinent, noted above, will be tried in
spite of the law, and that lie has been
misunderstood, but that the law will be
made to confirm to the Mayors ideas |
many affirm probable.
The Pass Question.
The anti-free pass agitation is creating |
considerably more amusement than sor-