Washington sentinel., 1898-05-21
rhe End or the Rlne ; Low

is in sight at Lima, Ohio. where the city
council has instructed the mayor to fully
enforce them next Sunday. A full and
effective enforcement of blue laws,
giving a fair demonstration Of their
effects, is all that is required to assure
their repeal. The Mayor Of Lima has
been enforcing these laws in partial
way for some time past by closing saloons
on Sunday, and large and influential
element in the community believe that
in view,of the equality OF all before the
law. 1t is but just and right that cigar
stores, drug stores, newsstands, milk
depots and all other places of business
should be closed, and ice cream peddlers
and milk wagons be refused the priv
ilege to make sales or deliveries on
Sunday, The blue laws were drafted
and enacted for the purpose Of prevent
Ing the desecration OF the Sabbath
through the conduct of business OF any
nature whatsoever, and under their pro-
visions the sale of glass of beer over
the bar of saloon is no more criminal
than the sale of glass of whiskey from
a druggists prescript on case, the issu-
ing of foul yellow journals or demoral-
izing novels from news stand. the
coun.erieiting of milk with dangerous
solution of chalk and water by the sauc.
timonious milk man, or the peddling Of
the various poisonous concoctions labled
'ice cream But when all these lines
OF business and others not mentioned
are so seriously affected as IS the
case when completely prohibited from
operating for one day in the week, so
large a percentage Of the people are
incoDvenienced that their sense OF per-
sonal comfort and liberty overcomes
their conscientious scruples regarding
the holiness Of the Sabbath day and the
goody-gOod people suddenly rise up in
righteous Indignation and assert their
inalienable rights to buv all the pink
lemonade, yellow backed novels and
drugstore whisky that their dear
hearts desire on Sunday or any other
old day, and that if the exercise OF this
great principle OF personal liberty car
ries with it the grantii " OF an equal
privilege to the heather imbibers Of the
oil OF 10y, to slake their thirst with
something more inspiring than soda
water and less dangerous than drugstore
whisky they will have to let it go at that
and allow the wicked venders OF the
necessities and luxures of lie to give
up their weekly rest day to attend to the
demands of the ever hungry and thirsty
public. The enforcement Of the blue
laws OF Toledo upon the strict and
impait tIal plan that IS propose for
Lima, resulted IN the complete repeal OF
every city ordinance that bore the least
semblance OF an azure hde, at the very
first meeting of the city council after
the experiment had been tried. Similar
results may be looked for at Lima, but
1t is strange that the people OF that good
CITY had not profited by the experience
Of their neighbors at Toledo, instead of
going through with what awaits them
during the first Sunday under strictly
enforced blue laws. Old Dame Expen.
ence must still have a few pupils, and
our great enlightened, modern. up-to-
date State OF Ohio, can, we are sorry to
say, furnish a few people of the kind
required as we'll as the more creditable
class OF citizens, when the occasion de-
mands -Ohf1 State Record.