Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-11-23
SOUND POSITION.

II IN EeueTally UeiltFeI ihht tnp
territorial grand Jury now In session
will find d number of indictments
against yiolaters Of the Sunday law
and against saloon men who have sold
liquor to minors. III every other part
Iof the territory, except the Bernalillo
county district. the Sunday law Is
being enforced rigidly. Judge Park.
or has taken the matter up In Grant
county ami last week called the sa-
loon men together and delivered the
following conservative and sensible
actress on the subject:
Il have asked the sheriff to notify
you to come In here this morning to
talk over this matter Of violating the
sunday law.
II wish To state In the beginning
that ! have not sent for you for the
purpose Of reading any moral lectures.
| that not being within the province oil
the court were Ii 80 inclined. have
sent for you u discuss this question
of violating the law In the same spirit
that | treat every other yiolator OF
the law, and in no different spirit. n
appears from the result that the peo.
pie of The county whom they repre-
sent have arrived &c the conclusion
that the time has come when this Law
as well az other laws should be enforc-
cd. and | think under the circum-
stances thar the court Is called upon
q lend It's aid an,i support 10 the en-.
forcemcnt Of this law.
AS stated to the grand jury. there
N great difference OF opinion as to
whether this is a wise law. but il Is
not for the con ideratinn of the grand
Jury or for the court or for the private
citizen 70 determine upon the wisdom
of the statute which the Legislature
has seen III 10 place upon the stat
ute book, The penalty Of tiagrantis
ignoring . statute Of this kind Is u
establish a species of lawlessness
which Ii far reaching In It's consc
quences II Is not the fact that this
law Is being violated alone that pro
duces the result, but II IL the democrat
izlng effect upon other people IN re
gard To the commission Of othel
crimes much more serious than this
Il am compelled TO use the word
crime because II Is a crime TO VIC
late this statute the same as IL would
be to violate any other statute.
"Now | have 40 criticisms 10 offel
Of you or yonr business; II Is as law
fnl 10 conduct this business as II Il
10 conduct any other business In New
Mexico, and MS good men are engag
ed In Il AS are engaged In any Other
bu lness. seek not to draw an,
comparisons between your business
aud that Of other people; Il Is JUS
simply because yon as q class per
sialcn.l, violate this statute, and u y
the duty OF the officers Of the law
~including the court 20 resist any suci
violation. especially after the same i
pfesented To- the court upon an ~
yestigatien by a grand jury. III
grand Jury comes from every par
of the county supposed 20 be select
- Is represent public ointment pna
lic ieellns, upon all questions. m,
they and the people through then
have spoken Iii this matter,
Nov ! AM aware that for year
this thing Ills dritted along ID thi
form A W III . unjust and improp
ef lor ue - do more than tmpos.
IA hnu IN the & eases, the same Y
has heretofore been done One q m
principal objects IN callina yol G.
, goth,r this morning was 70 warn sor
10 give you notice nov, that shout
, ,9u he called before the conrt Tor
similar onensc tina, the statute az
thDrizes not ouly a nne but ~
prisonment. FOR a. violation b liesl
! that the court under the eirenni
stances. Ii called npou 10 use oil .
ns power ana influence 10 see tia
the law is enforced. Therefore. Civ
y0n warning now that the statute PFC
yides for a fine 81 81. Or fftccn day
] Imprisonment in the county lai
+, should sou he brought before III
court At this time should YOU & u
! 20 enter a plea Of guilty the resul
! viii be a nne and costs ~ heretofore
of SIS only; but should sou b
. brought before the court again upoi
!. this charge the result viii be in
I prIsonment. New. | don't DO this I
: any u~nfriendly spirit. As | said b,
. fore. | treat this as ! treat any othe