Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1900-02-07
Communicated.
VIOLATION OF THE SUNDAY Law.

MR.. EDITOR: notice in the col
ums Of the CAPITAL Of February and.
inst. a rfply TO taxpayers. communi
cation Of the Ist inst. Now ! wish .
small space in your valuable Journal to
answer his questions. viii take them
up as he propounds them. First. ne
asks. "What city in the United States
observes the Sunday law. or blue
Law more closely than our good city
does!" Answer. The city Of Baltimore
is one. Baltimore has population Of
over half a million. and on last Sunday
owing TO the rigid enforcement OF the
law but I3 arrests were made. very
small percentage Of the whole. assure
you. Now then. on last Sunday in the
city Of Annapolis. a city OF about 5000
inhabitants there we're three or four d.
rect violations OF the Law. and no arrests.
The comparison speaks for itself. and
think. disposes OF the question number
one. Now, assert that The law was
violated on last Sunday 10 our city. and
no one should make sn assertion unless
he is prepared TO furnish proof Of his
assertion. hence. desiie TO assert that
the law was openly violated again on
Sunday, the 4th inst. Now think that
the duties of the law Office il TO do. As
they 90 in Baltimore. place detectives
upon their track and il will be an easy
matter to varfy what say. On last
Sunday, 4'h inst, store on Maryland
avenue put up the sign on the window
Sunday Newspapers Sold Here. These
are facts which can be substantiated.
sA
subject. OF the Public General Law.
read il you please. Article ~. page 247.
which says: "No person shall work or
do any bodily labor on the Lords day.
commonly called Sunday. and no person
having children or servants shall ctm-
mand. OF Willingly or willingly suffer any
of them TO do any manner OF work or
labor on the Lords day work OF necess.
ity or charity always excepted) or shall
suffer or permit any children or servants
to proiane the Lords day by gaming.
fishing, fowling. hunting. or unlawful
pastime or recreation. Read again:
Sec. 748. says: mo person shall SELL
dispose OF barter" or If dealer in one or
more articles OF merchandise. as this Sec
ton mentiones "shall sell or give away
on the Sabbath day commonly called
Sunday any tobacco, cigars. candy,
soda, mineral water, spirituous ferment-
ed liquors. cordials. lager beer. wine.
cider or any other goods. wares or mer.
chandise. This is the law. call it "Blue
or anything you like. but II the authori-
ties cannot enforce it as it stands. wipe It
from the statute books altogether. Tor a
law that cannot be enforced is no law at
all. AS an American, proud OF my
country. and her institutions and as a
w-abiding citizen, am opposed to the
continental Sabbath. surrounded as 1t IS
all the pernicious practices which It
engenders and which tends to demoralife
the community. "Observer" asks: "Do
you want to make a graveyard OF An
napols?" In answer to that would say.
that the surest wav OF making grave
yard OF any city is 10 fill tho almshouse
with paupcrs. the asylums with insane.
and thereby placing greater expense
upon the already overburdened tax
payers is to do away with the American
Sabbath and introduce the free license
OF the European Sabbath with all OF its
attending vices. Without fear or favor
Respectfully.
CHARLES ]. MURPHY.