Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-05-23
BETTER REPUsLIcANisM.

jury to investigate the violations of the
Sunday closing law Is being every /
where commended.
Somewhat to the surprise OF many,
those who have been looking upon the
Sunday closing statute as a dead let
ter and paying no attention to it in
carrying on their business are not lin
cIined to offer the slightest obstacle
to the perfect observance Of the law.
II a law on the statute books has been
regarded as dead for years. and courts
and officers pay no attention what
Boeyer To It's general disregard. II is
hardly 70 be supposed that individuals
engaged III b1liness Of various kinds
will feel In duty bound to obey 1t.
However, 1t Is gratifying in the pres
ent Instance. that on the first indi
cation that the courts consider the
statute In force and It's observance a
duty thai the business men oil Las We
gas should MOI hesitate a moment in
deciding that the law is To be obeyed.
obeyel.
There can ID no doubt that The
widely circulated reports Of the gen
eral iaxity Of Sunday observance in
| New Mexico and The frequently re.
| peated stories of laws on the subject
| which have been entirely disregarded
| have done much to prejudice feeling
against New Mexico in the United
| States.
Many have wondered as to the
| cause Of the determined opposition to
| the admission Of New Mexico TO state
hood made by Senator Bard of Cali
fornia. fhe gentleman haa been sup
posed 10 be favorable and had SO ex
pressed himself. One Sunday even
ing nearly WI years ago Senator Bard
happened 10 be passing through Albu-
querque. He had d couple Of hours to
spare and walked out to q the city.
Everywhere he saw open saloons and
throngs of gamblers. The senator
wasn't so much taken aback by that.
He had seen 1t all before, and was
inclined To p~alliate the existence Of
such places. But he had learned there
was a law on the statute closing all
places of business Sunday. mo re
gard whatever for the law in New
Mexico said Senator Bard of Califor
mia to himself and when he went back
10 Washington he was opposed to the
ADM ssion Of the territory.
The fault Is not primarily with the
business men who violate a law, when
courts and people generally make nc
objection. The enforcement of the
Sunday law becomes a part OF the
duty OF the district attorney. an officer
Of the court. The instructions of the
judges to the district attorneys in such
matters art always obeyed. The ac-
ton OF Judge McFie and Judge Parker
long ago proved that the courts had
1t In their power to see the law was
obeyed. That the chief justice has
shown his intention to have the stat
utes enforced Is another praiseworths
thing 20 be said in behalf of the judi
ciary Of New Mexico. unfortunately
In the past. too often open to severe
and deserved censurc.
II Is a fact that New Mexico. gov
erncd by the federal authorities. has
too often suffered by the ~self-scstine
or unworthy judges sent TO preside
over her courts. Too often the very
federal official sent to the west has
done more than the most illiterate OF
her permanent population to prove 10
The world that We were unfit to be
trusted with self-government. As WI
can't help the damage the appointees
may do us. 1t Is most gratifying TO
realize that we now have for the most
part as republican federal officials
men of ability and conscience, who
Will discharge their duty without fear
or favor. The action of the chief just
ice and the Judges In the First and
Third districts stands for good gov
eminent and for that better republi
canism of which New Mexico Is Sc
greatly In need. The Optic is gratiied
TO learn that the action taken by the
judges of the tn. &c districts will be
heartily supported by the court of the
Second district. The enforcement OF
law is at the base Of all good gov.
eminent No more injurious statement
ment has ever been made against New
Mexico than that which caused Sena
tor Bard to change his mind regarding
our unfitness for admission, ant
which. therefore, turned the seal,
against MS when the question came
up In congress.
WalIa Walla Makes Arrangements.
WALLA WALLA. Wash, May 30
the first day OF the presidents return