The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-01-15
OPEN SUNDAY SALOONS
Local Clergymen Discuss
the Much Vexed Cues
ton and Find a
Remedy.

The Gamma Sigma Society of Hudson
County which is composed of q limited
number of pastors, met yesterday after
noon at the residence of Rev. 7. J. Kou1-
mers, pastor of the Lafayette Reformed
Church. No. 376 Pacific avenue, to discuss
the Sunday saloon question. The Rev. w.
4. stucheli, Of the ciaremont Reformed
Church, was the principal speaker He
read q paper dealing with this matter
and made a most vigorous attack on the
opening of saloons on Sunday
There were twelve of the sixteen mem-
bers present. The Rev. Charles S. Wright
Of the Central Avenue Baptist Church
presided Mr.. stuchell took for his sub
jeet. Shall the saloons be allowed to be
open for business during certain hours
on Sunday with certain restrictions?T He
said:
s'I'he saloons are open. the laws to the
contrary are nullified, partiality and un-
just discrimination are shown; conse-
quentIy there ensues an established sys-
tenn Of blackmail and a debauched police
These are the facts. And all this not
withstanding in defiance of opposing laws.
Laws to keep the saloons closed have not
seemed to be effective. Various have
been the expedients to overcome the law
lessnesss the latest ana not the least inter-
esting being the Raines law-the law
which purposed legalfzing the sale of
liquor on Sunday in hotels with meals
What constituted a hotel and what a
meal at once became a question of COM
ment, and the rapid evolution of every
corner saloon into hotel and the scaling
down of the elements necessary to con-
stitute a meal are matters of history
The meal soon came TO mean a sandwich
The sandwich was paid for, the drinks
given. and numerous are the instances
where the same sandwich has served as
a meal for scores of persons and for
many days, while it is even alleged that
some hotels have gone the length Of
serving plate upon which was painted
a sandwich which served the purpose
Interesting are the devices and hum
orous, but serious the principle behind
these evasions of the law.
The seriousness Of the conditions is
recognized by all but how is it to be
overcome? First, enforce the Law, it mat
ters not at what difficulty Second, abro-
gate the law. For years the former
method mas been adopted The evils com
planned OF have not materially decreased
the conditions still exist, the laws are
disregarded, nullifed. deffed, and the en-
actors Of them made the butts Of ridicule
BlackmaH has increased and the conosi-
ton sought for has not been obtained
the second method seems to be the
most favored these days: that OF allowing
the saloons to be opened during a certain
time on Sundays under certain restric-
TORS. Three reasons are given for the
adoption Of this method. namely. that the
saloons are the poor mems clubs, that
these men want them, and that whether
the saloons are opened or closed the men
viii have liquor If they desire it.
1t is argued that the laws seeking te
accomplish the closing Of saloons have not
been successful but have instead only
opened avenues for unjust discrimination,
deception, lawlessness. blaekmail and a
debauehed police, and for the safety and
respect of government, for the equal pro-
lection of all, for remedy for the re-
sultant evils the severity of the law
should be relaxed
These reasons should not PREVAIL the
saloons should not be opened Ine sa-
loon may be regarded as the poor man
club but if it is so, it embedies none of
Of the club. which in the best state is a
questionable institution. 1t IS a club
where the entertainer is one whose every
desire is to obtain the money Of the fire.
quenters and whose gain is only accor,-
plished by their ruination. And because
the better-to-do of the aristocratic club
may have liquor served, it does not fol-
low that these low resorts, these hotbeds
of anarchy and crime should be allowed
to exist. The argument that the saloon
should be obened to accommodate the
foreigners who, in their own land we're
accustomed to the practice, may be met
with this statement: We're they not ae-
customed to class distinction. aristocrat-
ism, militarism and poverty's grinding
heel at home? Why came they here
Was it not to escape the very order of
things &c which they were accustomed al
nome9
Mr.. StucheiI went on to say that the
saloon should be closed for the good OF
tho community and that the sale OF lIquor
was an evil TO be stopped at once There
should be no liberal Sunday, but God
day must be observed strictly, he added
A general discussion followed, in when
all Of those present took part. Every ole
of the speakers endorsed the paper and
denounced the open Sunday saloon. They
sSkAd for the enforcement OF the law ard