New-York tribune., 1901-12-15
AGAINST IAN OPEN SUNDAY.
LAWS SHOULD NOT BE REPEALED Be
CAUSE THEY ARE NOT OBSERVED.


To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: I have read with painful interest of the
agitation for open Sunday for New-York City.
When about to amend or repeal any law
It becomes our first duty TO view it well upon all
sides. There are many phases OF the Sunday open
ing question which we Will do well TO consider. 1t
has been said the Sunday excise law is not OBJ
served and should be repealed rather than allowed
to exist upon the statute book a dead letter.
That is hardly good craftsmanship Shall We
proceed 10 repeal all the laws that not observed
and II not. why should We single out one that has
more to do toward preserving law and order than
perhaps any other? Is any one in favor of re-
pealing the laws relating to gambling and other
vices? They violated continually. and enforced
only spasmodcally. yet every one knows they can
be enforced.
What is one Of the many characteristics which in
splre our confidence in President Roosevelt? Is IT
not his sturdy enforcement of law when holding
office in this city? Did he not demonstrate the
fact that law be enforced? But some one
saws conditions have changed. This is a cosmo-
poIitan city our citizenship is largely composed Of
people from other lands who demand these
changes We welcome all who desire TO come and
abide in this land where liberty. very distinct
from license is the watchword But because they
here shall they seek to change the very laws
which are the foundation Of Liberty and our ma
its beautiful home life and the wise government of
its members because OF their eaPa2oqs nos' gao
enter these accessions TO the household, while
enjoying It's privileges. dissatisfied with the
laws governing il and endeayor to change them to
suit themselves and il becomes question whether
the righteous home life which had insured pros
Derty and happiness hitherto is to deteriorate and
The respect Of law and order upon which the gov
erument must rest to be set at naught
Said fond father to his Charlie. It is your
bed time go Immediately" The young hopeful re-
piled II won't" Whereupon the father. realizing
that his authority must be maintained responded,
"St up then. 1 will be obeyed." Isn't this some
what descriptive of our municipal household? We
cannot afford establish the dangerous precedent
of ing a a
bulwark against unrighteousness and the secular
izing of the Sabbath. We need it for wellbeing
of body and soul Our youth, seeing all too much
of license and drunkenness as II IS. cannot fail to
deterorate physically. mentally and. spiritually.
should an open Sunday become the law. We hear
a great deal about blue laws, and "Puritanical
SUNDAYS" yet what would be the condition of our
country at this time had its government not been
established upon these very laws and shall
we trample them under foot and deliberately cut
from the-decalogue the Fourth Commandment and
still expect be led of God who gave it2 What
thinker can fail to the miraculous leading of a
divine hand in the history of this country? Have
we got to a place where we can afford TO say We
need no more help? Note the history of other
countries which have forsaken God. History repeats
itself and the decline of the American Republic
shall have begun should we fail remember the
ELLA L. EGBERT.
Tompkinsville Staten Island, Dec. TO- 1901