The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-07-08
4 VIGOROUS PROTEST.
Humanitarian Reasons Why Drug Stores
Should be Open on Sunday.

Humanitarian Reasons Why Drug Stores
Should be Open on Sunday.
To the Editor of The Times: AS re-
suit of great pressure brought to bear
upon the druggists of this city by the adj
vocates of Sabbath observance, it appears
from The Times of this date that the
druggists have formulated contract
among themselves to keep their respective
stores open on Sunday only from to
II a. N. and 3 to Z p. III.
OF course this is Il free country and if
the druggists so wished they could keep
their stores closed all of Sunday. But 1
happen to know that it is not the volun-
tary wish of the druggists that caused
the formulating of this contract, but
rather that they responded to the pres
sure eXerted upon them by the so-called
reformers. who are evidently reforming
backwards.
There is not sensible father in this
town who will not vigorously protest
against this species of reform. There is
an old saying that when II man really
needs pistol he needs it mighty bad. So
it is with the drug store. II is the most
necessary institution of any community:
and when ones child is ill, ms so many chill
dren are at this season Of the year, I for
one certainly do not wish the right dele
gated to Il reformer to say that my child
shall not have medicine when it is need
ed.
1t may be that the reformers expect me
to regulate my child's illness so that it
will only occur between the hours fixed
by the reformers. They apparently are
willing for the poor little morsels of
humanity to suffer just so they carry
their point in the controversy now being
waged here.
The ministers of the gospel who are
waging this war should remember the in
junction of their Divine Master AS re.
CARDS the little ones.
This is especially the season of the year
when our children are subject.to sudden
and sometimes fatal attacks, and it will
but add another burden to the anxious
hearts of mothers of little children to
learn that what is sometimes their only
hope in sudden attacks is barred to them.
Keep the drug stores open and let the
reformers turn their attention IL some
thing more worthy of their eXertions.
Let them turn their attention to the fla
grant and open violations of the.law with
which Roanoke has long been afflicted.
1t would be just as sensible to prohibit
one calling in doctor rs to close the
| drug stores even for one hour on Sunday.
Everyone with children knows what n:
anguish it is to have m i'll child. Thu
whole scheme of closing the drug store.
is au ill,advised one. and l hope one
druggist at least will have humanity
enough in him to keep his place Of bust
ness open to supply the needs of suffer
ing children.
| There is enough vice and crime in Roa
noke TO keep the reformers act vely en-
gagged for manv months without starting
at the drug stores. If the druggists dc
not conduct their business legally revoke
their licenses.
Picture the misery and anguish of ',
mother with her darling child in the
throes of Group and every drug store il
town closed This would be praclicins
Christianity backwards, for that grief
stricken mother, bereft of her :chilt
through the mediumsof modern reform
ers, would never to her dying day forgive
them. \ FATHER.
Roanoke, July