The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-27
THE FUTURE OF THE SUNDAY LAW.

The opinion of the City Attorney and
the letter Of the Chief-of-Police in respect
TO the enforcement of the Sunday law
has cleared up the case prodigiously.
There is no use in making any dis
yuises about this affair. Designing. bad
men have been attempting to raise a
false olarnor in the case. and to divert
attention from what is the true issue.
There is no sort of doubt in the mind
of any man that the law forbids the
gamblers 10 ply their nefarious trade.
and that 1t forbids all sale of liquors on
Sunday. and 1t is believed that from the
permissive violation of these laws. there
flowed deep and dark current of evils
which were soaking and undermining
the very foundations of our society.
Nobody believed that cleaning shoes
selling saltwater. magazines or news
Papers on Sunday although possibly
technically against the letter of the an
cient law for observance of Sunday. were
dangers to the welfare of society. But
thousands Of our citizens did believe
that the protected" faro-banks and
policy shops, and the protected" bar
rooms were influences OF deepest cor
ruption to the administration Of law in
this city and should be abated.
The Times. therefore, undertook to agi-
tate this condition Of things in order to
compel the absolute discontinuarce OF
their business by the gamblers. because
that business is a most baneful one. and
is most positively forbidden and severely
punished by law. and to compel tho bar
keepers to close their bars on Sunday, be
cause the law commands il, not only
because a defiance Of the law by them is
most demoralizing. but also because 1t
was generally believed that some bar
keepers paid officers OF the law 10 permit
them 10 defy the law, while others We're
compelled 10 submit TO It, 1t was 10
cut up these fruitful causes Of terrible
corruption that The Times embarked in
this contest. and The Times has the
backing OF all the moral elements of the
city in its attempt TO have the law
obcyed. But we have also reason to be-
lieve that a considerable majority of bar
keepers sympathize with The Times, and
hope that 1t may prevail Some bar
keepers. who are also the owners OF
saloons. want TO keep their bars open on
Sunday for the profit i'm IT, but the poor
fellows who have TO attend on the bars
want their Sunday holiday.
The real hackers of the fight against
the law are the gamblers, whose interests
and very existence depends upon tolera-
ton. IL not protection. in defiance of
law-hcnce the effort to divert atten-
tion from their infamous business. 1t
is they who have raised the camor for
such an enforcement of the law as would
arrest bootblacks. apothecarics and news
dealers and thus make all law odious by
mixing up honest pursuits with vicious
lives.
The whole theory is perfectly under
stood. and the opinion of Mr.. Meredith
and the sensible letter OF the Chief Of
Police put the case where 10 should
stand. The Chief Of Police will not mo-
lest persons who pursue calings that
the usual life OF the people have made
necessary to their comfort. but ne Will
enforce the law against the gamblers at
all times. and against the bar-keepers on
Sunday. because the gamblers are enc
mics to society. and the law by special
State and city enactmcnts forbid open
bars on Sunday. The case is now greatly
simplfied. and we expect 10 see Rich
mond go along with wise observance
OF the laws. and the gamblers driven
from under the cover which has screened
them in their nefarious and corrupting
trade