Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-09-15
THE SUNDAY CRIME.

THE SUNDAY CRIME.
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For long time citizens representing
the moral element of this community
have pleaded with the administrators
Of law, for the closing OF saloons on
Sunday, as the law provides. They
have pointed out that all, regardless
OF political affiliations, demanded that
ante election promises be kept. But
their pleadings have fallen on deaf
ears, They have been given stones for
bread, snakes for fish.
Now comes an appeal In n different
form. IN a saloon, In building said to
be owned partly by the Mayor Of the
city, a man was ehot down yesterday.
The wounded man fell on the sidewalk
and lay a long time In a pool Of blood,
at the very door Of the Mayors Office,
whittier he had dragged himself, after
the shooting. A story was told in this
way, It seems TO u.s. which should
awaken the sleeping consciences OF
those who are responsible. 1t is a story
In the usual chapters; Drinking, gam
bling, drinking, quarrellng. and per-
haps murder, all on the day conse-
created to acts of worship, benevolence,
charity.
But the Mayor, 1t seems, takes the
view that the affair Is not serious
enough to cause any orders to be Is
sued for Sunday closing. lie thinks
there IS no evidence that the saloon was
open FOR business" The parties in
side, he believes. were there merely at
tending TO their private affairs.
one of the eye-wltnesses, however,
is reported to have said that he entered
the saloon forty minutes before the
shooting. While he was there, he saw
the bartender taking in money for
drinks, He also saw some parties gam
BILE for drinks. and heard the angry
words that preceded the shooting. Is
not this evidence that the saloon was
open "for business" or at least that
business was transacted there, whether
II was cpen for that purpose or not?
Gambling and drinking may be
private affairs" but they are that
class OF private affairs which are UNI
lawful In saloons on Sundays
The saloon business is lamentable in
every respect. 1t brings much misery
upon the victims Of drunkenness and
very often upon those who profit by
the vice, too Mr.. Moody, the last time
he spoke In the Tabernacle, said that
for years he had offered a reward to
anyone who could prove to him, that a
curse had not In some shape or another
fallen upon saloon keepers, or their
families. No one, he said, had got the
reward, Mr. Moody said that he had
himself Investigated that subject thor
oughly for years, and had become con-
WINGED that sooner or later Nemesis
would oyertake the dispensers of
liquors that bring so much misery upon
their fellow-men, II this IL true OF
the saloon business that Is being car
rled on every day, under the cover of
law, 1t must be doubly applicable to
the unlawful Sunday traffic. This Is
double curse upon all concerned in
It. 1t is curse upon the communl-
ty too, as is evidenced by the num-
erous crimes traceable to that nefari-
Gus traffic. Let the saloons be closed
on Sundays, II there is power enough
in the proper authorities to enforce the
law If not, let the people, the high
est authority. give the power needed to
keep the dragon in It's den, II It can
not be entirely done away with.