The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-09-07
Clerks Asked for Enforcement
 of the Law.
Fruit Stands win Be Closed for First N Time in History-city Council #W&N Ar-rl sH &sN$ tss s% SsS tHu May Repeal ordi- SF "s"Ss'

F. AS result of the application of. the gfs Retail Clerks, Union to Mayor Joseph for tse he enforcement of the Sunday laws of fss Montgomery. every business house in the aty will be closed today for the first 'i time since Montgomery assumed city, like proportions. Drug stores. cigar stands and restaurants are alone ex- cepted. t@-.-' Sfi
 The order of the Mayor to Police Chief St Gerald to enforce this law. caused. . mer- ry muddle in municipal affaira It waa the intention of the Mayor that the en- forcement of the ordinance ehouid apply sss only to retail stores and other places of H business. whereby no one would be ..in- fconvenienced. He did net intend hht,the S sordinance' should he as sweeping fn5 its VI effect as is the asestoday., chiefsof Po- lice Gerald. however. gave the ordinance It's broadest construction. ;. The &aNor he saw 1t his duty to- close everything Railroad ofices ice houses, 1rujtist4nas and everything in the city limits, with < the exception of drug stores, restauiants and cigar stands came within the, Pplice Chiefs construction of the law and he so notified persons who conducted such establishments. t.'
 % Mayor Joseph was astounded when he learned what the Police Chief had done He explained that he intended that the law be enforced with discretion Chief Gerald did not think he could act dis cretionary unless the Mayor was spe- cific.
 The question then arose, Shall the law be enforced>as 1t reads. or shall it be violated? The Mayor decided that 1t should be enforced. He said. however. that at the next meeting of the City Council Monday of next week, he would recommend that the law be repealed or amended so that It's its enforcement will not be so far-reachi- e. Until then busi- ness will rest on Sunday.
 Superintendent J. I. Mckinney of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad ap- pealed to the Mayor. It was of vital ifn- portance that the railroad freight men be allowed to work on Sundays, he said. Mayor Joseph replied that the statutes of Alabama regulated the railroads and the railroad men will work today.
 The ice companies were permitted to send out wagons on Sunday, the Mayor b. holding that ice is a necessity In early September.
 George H. McGough as chairman ot the Retail Clerks Committee visited Mayor Joseph late yesterday evening" He said that 1t wasrnot the intention. of the clerks to have, everything closed on their ac- count and asked that the fruit stands be allowed to, keep! open today
 The Msy9r replied that this was I'm possible. -:i.
 President EsA D. GCreath of the Clerks Union said last night that it was not the purpose of the union to have the Sunday ordinance enforced literally but simply that the clerks be, allowed to have the Sunday holiday which was justly theirs. President Creatii explained that the clos ing of the retail stores would inconve- nience nobody and it was on this idea that they made the request. ses,
 As the hour of twelve was sounded last night peculiar scene was witnessed on the streets. Policemen ordered everything closed on their beats and it was with