The herald., 1896-07-02
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS
Deprecate Anything Like Legislation on
Sunday Closing
Rev. Mr. Wilson Wants Stringent 0 rdinance
Passed at Once
Tho Question Discussed In All Its Phases.
Some Straight Talk by the Leaders OF
the Two Religious Factions.
City Hall New,

There was an interesting, not to say
exciting, meeting of the committee on
public morals of the city council at the
city hall yesterday morning. owing TO
the large attendance the council cham-
Der was utilized for the meeting. ana the
entire morning was given up to the dls-
cussion of the vital matters under dis
cussion. Chairman Kingery presided
with his usual aplomb and most or the
members of the legislative branch of the
city government dropped in during the
discussion. Among those who followed
the entire proceedings from the begin
ming to the close were Councilman Pes
sell. Snyder, Stockwell and Munson.
President Teed was very much in evil
dence, and Mr.. Ashman dropped in from
time to time to see that nothing escaped
the eagle eyN of the able Seventh Warder
The direct matter before the committee
was the matter of Sunday closing. Some
days ago big petition was presented to
the council in the matter of Sunday clos
ing. which was referred to the commit
tee for investigation. This petition,
which asks for the closing of all mer-
camille business on Sunday, except res
taurants livery stables, hotels and drug
stores, and is Endorsed by the Los Angeles
Council of Labor together with six other
labor organizations and $3.50 taxpayers
ard voters, was announced as the prin-
cipal matter before the meeting. Chair
man Kingery feelingly referred to the
unavoidable absence of Councilman Tom
Savage, who was supposed to be some
7 nd
Francisco. and then the matter was de-
clared open for discussion. There were
a number of ladies in the chamber. and
these followed the proceedings with the
closest attention.
The fun petition was read, and then
Attorney VIII d. Gould, in new spring
suit of sky blue, with his upper lip
smoothly shaven, presented brief to
show that the petitioners were entirely
within the law and were only asking for
what they had perfect right to do. Mr..
Gould read decision of the supreme
court to show that the proposed legisla-
ton was within the province of the city
council, and intimated that if the coun-
Gil wished to pass the proposed ordi-
nance there was no legal obstacle in the
way.
Rev. r. S. Owens of the Seventh Day
Adventists followed in a temperate, logi-
cal argument in opposition to the pro-
posed measure. Mr.. Owens was backed
by quite a large contingent of his faith,
and presented the best argument of the
day. He showed how, under the consti-
tuition, such legislation as was proposed
would be Illegal, and would never stand
the test in the courts. He said that the
people he represented did not want any
special favors. All they wanted was for
the people to be allowed to exercise their
religious belief according to their own
consciences and not to be tied up by any
legislative enactments. Mr.. Owens made
a very temperate argument and cited
numerous instances to show that Sun
day laws were too often used as clubs
by bigots to injure those who are not of
the same belief as themselves, and why
try to make all men agree with their way
of thinking.
Rev. DR.. Wilson of the First M. e.
church followed Mr.. Owens in opposition
to his views. Mr. Wilson was very pro-
nounced in favor of Sunday closing, and
went out of his way to score Mr.. Owens.
Mr.. Wilson professed to be amazed at
what he had heard from Mr.. Owens, and
said that he was surprised to hear such
an argument from man processing to
be a preacher of the gospel against Sun
day closing. He said that he might have
expected to have heard such arguments
from "bawdy house keepers" and other
vicious elements, but not from a So
called Christian minister. DR.. Wilson
vehemently attacked certain sentiments
expressed by Mr.. Owens and claimed
that he spit on such sentiments" as he
had heard expressed. He reiterated his
belief that those who had spoken in
favor of the protest were hand and
oil Nj al 1n DIV
house keepers and disorderly, lawless
elements" Mr. Wilson INDUCED in
numerous sarcastic remarks at the ex-
pense of those who were protesting
against the proposed ordinance, and re-
ferred in the most contemptuous terms
to Mr.. Owens and his followers, all of
which did not help his case.
President Teed, who had been an in
terested listener to Mr.. Wilson's re-
marks, at this point intarjected an inter-
rogatory as to just what class of people
would be benefited by the passage of
such an ordinances as that asked for by
the petitioners.
Mr.. Wilson was not prepared for this
question, and President Jacoby Of the
board OF trade came to the rescue. Mr..
Jacoby said that there were numerous
small businesses that required their
clerks TO work seven days a week, and
that this was improper, and he thought
that the law should be invoked in their
behalf.
Mr.. iced wanted to know If It was
the intention to shut up places of amuse-
ment and especially If it was desired to
prohibit foreigners from enjoying the
day as they thought fit.
Mr.. Wilson replied that he thought it
did. If he had his way there would have
been no exceptions, but he took the petit
ton as it was presented, as he thought
1t was better TO get start on what was
wanted than nothing at all, for which
reason he had taken the matter up.
President Teed said that he would
never favor interfering with the innocent
amusement Of people of foreign birth,
and incidentally paid high tribute to
the Germans as a law abiding people
There was some more talk of general
nature, after which Mr.. Owens made
short talk in answer to Mr.. Wilson, and
the matter was settled by referring the
whole matter to the city attorney and