New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-28
THE SUNDAY QUESTION.

THE SUNDAY Question:
Our esteemed Democratic contemporary, The
Ney-York Sun in a leading article which we
publish elsewhere in this paper In full, presents
with admirable frankncss. end in its usual terse
manner. the issue raised by the Democratic
party for the fall campaign upon the manten-
anca of Sunday laws 1t must be borne In mind,
of course, that primarily the question between
the two parties in this campaign is whether law
should be enforced. For it was upon the en-
forcement by Republican officials OF a law passeu
by Democratic Legislature and approved ny
Democratic Governor that the agitation OF lhe
Sunday CLOSING law began and has since been
carried on This must not be forgotten. for II Is
the essential factor in the situation and II Illus
trates with clearness the characteristics ana ten
denotes Of the two great parties The Democratic
unrisinr if such II may be called. was not against
IN. Iow-it could not be. for the Democrats
made it hemselves-but against its enforcement
They must not be allowed to escape the conse-
ouences Of their own deliberate acts Whatever
NAV be said of the merits or demerits OF 'le
sunday.closng law one thing Is certain, That
the Republican party is not responsible Tor II III
any sense The only charge brought against
Republicans in connection with II Is mat 'hey
| enforced IT, OF that they willingly aDlde 'he
consequences But the contrast must be Kept III
mind: that one party passed the law for the Daid
and unconcealed purpose OF leyying political
| hockmail and the other enforced 1t because 1t
could not honestly do otherwise. In that nut
shell the whole question primarily lies
The enforcement Of their own law raised an
| issu. which Democrats could not avoid. Mani
| testify they could not condemn 1t. 1t was eqlaii!
| manifest that they could not stand by II WITHOUT
losing thousands of votes In this city ana IN the
State They were caught in their own trap 30
in their State convention, after profound de-
liberation and much weighing Of variety or
devious devices, they put forth the tissue OF
words which was ostensibly intended TO express
but actually meant to befog, the position or the
party on the excise and Sunday closing ques-
ton 1t is this collocaion Of words TO when
our Democratic contemporary, "The Sum- gives
frank and ouSpoken Interpretation The occa-
sion for II was offered by the demonstration on
Wednesday IN favor Of liberal Sunday laws.
"'The societies for more liberal Sunday laws
saws our esteemed contemporary, will find their
"cause espoused by the Democratic party OF
"NewYork as ii is arrayed for the campaign
/
ment as a proposed revolution" in which there
| is 10 be no beating about the bush, but square
demand for "a new rule for Sunday altogether
enabling the saloons to open in the full llgh'
"of day" Special regulations of the liquor
traffic" it adds, "such as the curlailment OF
'hours. which might be deemed best after THIS
"momentous issue Is decided one way or the
other are ut present of secondary Importance
"0nly" This is frank and straightforward. IL
presents the question as deliberately agreed upon
| by the Democratic State Convention, with abso
lute clearness and candor, stripped Of the verdi
age with which the cowardy convention stroye
yanly TO cover II. 1t meets, too, with precision
and effect the position with the Republican con
vention In fewer words but with greater courage
and candor assumed The Republican party
stands for the maintenance OF Sunday laws In the
interest Of labor and morality. The Democratic
party stands for 1.-The new rule for Sunday alto
"gether enabling the saloons to open In the full
eight of day" Our contemporary accurately
describes ii as proposed revolution"
And now as frankly the issue Is offered LEI
il be frankly met. There need be no intemper
| ance or heat in the discussion. Such a demon
stration as that Of last Wednesday by the liberia
| Sunday societies Is perfectly legitimate anC
proper 1t may be said, Of course, that II wa,
organized and carried on by the wealthy brewers
and distillers whose revenues are endangered
bv the restriction Of their business operation.
10 the same number Of hours in the week tina
other business enterprises confined to; bu
so long as that is understood--as 1t generally /,
no valid objection TO II can be raised. 1t 4
cold business. A mistake was made as II seen
TO us, In the apparent purpose to discredt hon
est officials who have done nothing except the
sworn duty; and a painfully distinct impression
was made that the whole demonstration wa
In opposition 10 the enforcement Of law. and $,
In favor Of lawlessness the effect Of which coulc
not be otherwise than unfavorabe Then too
il hardly seems wise 10 array the citizens Of ont
nationality in a body against the enforcement o
laws which they found in operation and volun
tarly agreed 10 sustain before assuming tn
the general notion that no class Of citizens no
any nationality. is entitled special privileges
Beyond that Of course, is the prevalent ide
that the laws bind everybody and no individual
class or nationality cen be exempt from thei
equal operation But ii Is quite possible 10 dis
cuss all these questions with camness and mod
Grafton. and II Is the exercise Of these qualitie
that The Tribune invokcs In the consideration
OF the present issue, which Is. as stated by on
Democratic contemporary. whether or not W
shall accept the proposed revolution" and abo