The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-28
SHALL LAW Be SUSTAINED?
Public Opinion On Gambling Liquor
Dealing on Sunday.
VIEWS WITH NO UNCERTAIN SOUND.
Clergymen and Laymen Intervicwed-The
Law should BE Enforced Tho Times
Course Endorsed and AppIauded.
What Is Said Regarding the
Construction of the Law.

The Times well knowing that 'hc power
Of all law lies in the voluntary support
OF IL. by the majority of the citizens in
rLy community where the operation Of
the law is in any way questioned, has
obtained by pers )nal interviews the opin-
ions Of some OF our leading citizens.
chiefly clergym n. upon the question Of
enforcing the laws against gambling and
the sale OF intoxicating liquors on Sun
day. At the same time the question was
asked what notifications. If any, they
would propose in the present law for
the general observance of the Sabbath.
The replies are given below; and there
is no doubt that this paper could be
filled with similar responses from the
best men OF every ceiling in the city.
In the short time allowed for obtaining
these opinions. many citizens were not
;nteryiewod. whose views would have
been both interesting and irfluenuaL
REV DR. Mosrs HoGE.
Rev. DIR. HCge sad. 81 heartily endorse
the enforcement OF the laws for the sup
preston of gambling and the sale OF in
toxicatng liquors on Sunday, believing
that much good will be accomplished
thereby that could not otherwise be effect
ed. Regarding any modification OF
the law as 1t now stanos,
am not prepared 10 speak, IN
DsmuCh as that HOuld Involve IN eqnts-
ton of what Is and what is not a neces-
sity upon the sabbath. The coUiso pur-
sued by The Times in the matter Of the
observance OF the Sunday law is an eX-
cellent one. and l. for one, wish the paper
success. and very earnestly commend its
Christian policy
Rry. Dir. W. J. YOUNG.
AS Christian and as law loving and
law-abiding citizen of Richmond, there
is but one possible position for me to
..A .f|... if
the Sunday-clc sing and anti-gambiing or
chances. | admire the manly and patrO-
otic position taken by The Times In this
matter ana feel confident Il VIII nave the
81 ipport Of all good citizens. II Is refresh
ing 10 find a daily paper with the moral
courage to get eff the fence and on the
right sidc-on neral questions. lhese
laws can be enforced, provided those
whose duty il is to execute the law truly
desire TO do SO. ana provided the &OOd
people of the community uphold tnelr
hands with a correct public sentiment.
Let but the same zeal be shown that is
manifest In the enforcement of laws,
concerning property, and the tnlns Is
done.
But If 1t can be done in no other way,
j propose that we organize a gOod gov
ernment league. and see 10 II that these
and all other laws are Obeyed. AT any
rate | urge that the fight be carried on
20 the end. / trust that those who hQD-
mob with the vicious for political or bus
iness purposes, ard cOvertly make their
fings at the righteous cause. be heroic
enough to put themselves where thVy
belong so NE may know how to deal with
them. Can IL be that these laws Were
put on the statute books AS ornaments
or as sop thrown 10 the better peoPie
of the State who are supposed 10 pe
content WHEN law is passed too ire
quently imagining. in their Innocence,
that II will enforce itself? Then LET us at
least rid ourselves of our hypocrisy.
sad day VIII II be Tor our beloved
city when we get the idea that any OF
! us have the right TO decide which laws
shall or shall not be enforced Ihis
means a harvest OF anarchy anu cohIu
sion at last Some Of uS VINO icsF'cl
the Sabbath have to obey laws that we
do not like but We obey them. If the or
dinanccs In question at this time are Oh
jectionahle TO any of the people, lei 'htih
lay their complaint before the coming
LEGISLATURE But | give fair warning
that some Of ile who believe In these or
dinances will be there too.
nrv. J. CALVIN sTEwAET.
1t would seem that we have almost reach
ed a crisis in the history Of our city gov,
ernmcnt-w whether law or lawlessness shsn
prevail The question now before us Is,
Shall the statute concc ming the suppress
sion ofsgambiing and the sale OF lntoN-
.catirg liquors on the sabbath be enforced
or notP II is q vital issue NO one can
deny tho untold evils Of such gambling
and sale on any day-much less on
the holy sabbath
for the moralitics aud decencics OF our
city lifc. In the irterests Of purity. and
happiness Of the people From'a reading
Of the statute. IL seems 10 me that the
duty OF the Mayor and the city officials
90 enforce the law Is clear; first for the
sworn obligation 10 uphold the laws, and
eecondlv in the best interests or pure
morals and decent living in our city.
We do most earnestly urge. therefore,
that our Mayor will do his duty. We can
not bear 10 think that he VIII bubble
10 ORC
mort him apparently doing II the law Is
wrong or unjust let II be enforced and
test bc made that viii result IN law that
is satisfactory and workable.
blush 10 think that our Mayor would
even prove a stumbling block in the way
OF others who are willing and ready 10
do their duty.
IL looks as though our city needs some
thing else beside her good laws. Every
city should have in her offices men of
calm. conscientious purpose; OF resoiute
Mill. OF love for order, and regard for
law. and who viii rot look at the ballot
box OF the way 10 the post of duty
So far as suggesting any modihcauon
OF our Sunday law, am not prepared
70 speak.
GLORIOUS rIGHr.
Rev Or. Broughton. OF Roanoke. while
stopping in the city, was seen IN regard
20 the recent moral crusade IN Richmond,
pnd talked quite freely about the matter.
Said he "fhc Times has undertaken
glorious fight for a reform that H. sadly
needed Ia many cities, OF the South, and
especially the State Of Virginia The pa
per has shown more judgment, pluck.
and good hard, common sense within
the. last month than ever before, ana
that Is saying great deal. am deeply
interested ga this needed reform, and
heartily commend your new Chief OF 10
lice FOR his manly efforts, and The Times
sor SIS determination kichmond Is now
UNDERGOING exactly what Roanoke went
through recently. In Roanoke there was
deplOrabc state OF affairs. Many CLUBS,
saloons. and other places In the city dis
posed Of intoxicating liquors on the Sab
bath. Several Christians organized ana
determined 10 bring about q reform. we
spoke against Sunday liquor ana gam
bling. worked against II, collected facts
aud preached against the glarng viola
tions OF the Sunday laws. We called
names from the pulpit. exposed the state
of affairs and aroused such a public
continent against the Sunday sale OF
1iqu0r that now the reform has come,
and Roanoke Is an entirely different
city from a moral point OF view
They called me 'Hayseed Parkhurst,
and al that. but We kept straight on
With the flght, and We won a glorious
victory. The good people OF Richmond.
the Christians and representative citi-
gems. am sure, are in favor OF enforcing
the laws bearing upon gambling. and the
pale OF intoxicating liquors on Sunday.
and if they Will keep right on with the
fight, they Will win. There is no doubt
about that Indeed, the victory rs al
Az in -. Il Ia.