The Forrest City times., 1903-07-10
TIE WAVE REACHES FORREST
CITY,

Mayor on last Tuesday night in
sructed the City Marshal to strict
IL enforce the laws of tho state
and corporation concerning Sab
bath breaking, and we are glver
TO understand that this means the
absolute closing of all business
hoases, and abatement Of sill bust
ness pursuits whatsoever, even
ioi bidding the proprietors TO enter
urou their own business premises
This is radical, and close OBJ
servance o. It's results in other
communities, leads us TO believe
That it Will be a failure. Helena,
Pine Bluff, Hot Springs, Little
Rock, and sundry other smaller
Giles have recently undergone o
scige OF this puritauical wave. and
Ia every instance, to the best OF
our information,a perfect and com.
piete failure has resulted as applied
10 the vending of newspapers, the
sale OF fresh meats, medicines, cl-
gars, summer drinks, fruits, ice,
aud other necessities, and the un-
restricted operation of livery
stables, restaurants, neWsstands,
and similar conferences.
The state law is very rigid, and
permits only two pleadings-
charity. or the necessity of the
customer. 1t is copied from San
deis & Hills Digest, as follows:
Section 1891, Every person,
who shall, on Sunday, keep open
any store or retail any goods,
wares and merchandise, or keep
open any dram shop or grocery,
or who shall keep the doors Of the
same so as TO afford ingress or
egress, or retail or sell any spirits
or wine, shall, on conviction there.
Of, be fined in any sum not less
than SIS, or more than 500.
Section 1892 Charity or neees-
sity on the part Of the customer
may be shown in justification OF
the violation of the preceding see
ton. ~
: This step was taken by the Nay
Or IN response to a numerously
signed petition, as follows:
To the Honorailes. the Mayor and
Aldermen composing the Common
Council OF the Incorporated Town of
Forrest City;
The undersigned citizens and cleo
toiS of the town OF Forrest CITY most
respectfully represent and show to
your honorable body that the statute
law OF the State of Arkansas regulat-
ing tie observance OF the Christian
Sabbath Tor Sunday is violated week
y oy shop keepers and others who
Keep Their stores and laces of bust
ness open and sell goods, wares and
mel ehandise in the same way that they
do on other days Of the week
We lake tins method of bringing the
matter to your attention, aud humbl,
ask that you take whatever action YOU
may deem bit aud proper in the premi-
SIS to the end that due observance
OF the law may be enforced. or that
the yioIators thereof may I've promptly
dealt with as the law requires, and
pe i1tlonerS will ever pray. &c:
". Z, Evans, w. II. Sanders, +. A.
short X Co. Aldridge x Jones, Fon-
dren X smith, Otto b noIiwaee. !. III
ltfton x Co, \. b. Iz4rd. J Il Brown.
4 l.. Grady, l.. Tuiley X Co j. W :.
Williams, Irice & Altman. j. W.
Brck " Co., j, II. Sanders. Rollwaee
q Anderson. John G. Bell. J. I. Fon.
dren, W. c. Davidson. Nicely & Neb
l-tt, Shields 4 Hamhleton. Bfandon &
laugh. Ed Landyoigt, a. Never &
Company.
We understand that this petition
originated with ". I. Sanders. w.
+. Evans, and other grocerymen.
And that they were prompted to
the same by the fact that the
Turks, especially, and some others.
keep their places wide open and
do general retail business on the
Sabbath the same as other DAYS.
J" which trade they, (the petition
efs) keeping their places closed
have no chance to participate, is
paipable. In. this they are moi,
eensurable. Looking at the mat.
ter from the point OF selfinterest
and from the standpoint of the
Law and public sentiment, which
forbids this general business, they
are amply justified, and We en-.
dorse the action of these gentle.
men and of the Mayor to the point
OF enforcing q proper observance
OF the Sabbath, provided it be no,
10 that extreme which