Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-08-12
FRIDAY EVENING. AUG. 10, 1904.

AFTER protracted lull, Alexandra
i again exercised by reason OF the resur'
rsction Of State and city laws governing
sunday. The Alexandria Retail Mer-
chants Association has played CON
snicions part in the work Of exhuming
the statutes which have for about a
quarter of century been more honored
IN the breach than in the observance
This association, it seems, does not EN-
brace all the retail merchants OF Alex
andria and the evident object of the or
canization Is to compel all to observe the
Sunday laws in order that the members
Of the association may not be forced to
remain in their stores half day on Sun
day to compete with others who Keep
their stores open every day in the week.
The organization transmitted a resolution
to the Mayor requesting him to enforce the
law so far as grocery and meat dealers
are concerned, and his hsnor naturally
called the attention of the police to the
fact that they are sworn to enforce "all
the State laws and city ordinances. "
The members of the force accordingly
nroceeded to enforce the letter of the
laws of both State and city as they exist.
They have therefore notified all store
KEEPERS who have heretofore conducted
business on Sunday to refrain from 40
inc 90 in future under penalty of arrest.
Dealers in Sunday newspapers, ice, milk,
cigars. soda water-in short everything,
as the State law virtually exempts moth
nc-will therefore incur the risk OF
fines should they continue to transact
business on Sundays. The city ordi-
nance exempts ice and milk dealers and
apothecaries, but the State law is
sweeping in its language. Twenty
five wears ago an attempt was made
by the Mayor to carry out these laws,
and a number of persons were made 10
pay fines for violations Of them. Popular
opinion, however, was against their en-
iorcement, and further endeavors to COM
pei an Obeyance of the statutes were re-
Taxed save in connection with the sale OF
liquor on Sunday, which is interdicted
by special laws. The outcome OF the
revival of the spirit of quarter OF
century ago is awaited with interest
For many centuries the observance OF the
Sabbath day and later Sunday has per-
picked lawmakers. AT the dawn Oh
the present era it was made an issue and
the Author of the Christian religion bad
his orthodoxy questioned when he per-
formed works of mercy on the Sabbath
day. An Israelitish tailor imagined he
transgressed the law if he found needle
sticking in his coat on the seventh day,
as. according to his construction OF the
law. he was carrying burden, and it is
said in some instances men who fell in
mud puddles on the Sabbath remained
in them until the evening from the fact
that it would require labor to extrlcate
themselves. In the days OF tie Mac
cabees Jews allowed themselves to be
slaughtered on the Sabbath rather than
defend themselves from their enemies.
Passages in the New Testament bear
witness to such superstitions when 1t Is
stated that the lame, sick, halt and
blind were not brought to the Great
Physician until the sun had SET.
Throughout the ages that have followed
more or less dissatisfaction has been the
resulto of the enforcement of Sunday laws,
until many believe, after all, it would
be best, in many instances, to leave such
matters to the consciences of individuals.
A community is one thing-a church
another. We all have our own ideas
concerning ecclesiastical claims. In
this city numbers believe the seventh
day and not the first of the week should
be observed The good book says '1et
every man be fully persuadedin his own
mind concerning holy days. Thou
sands of persons employed by cities
railroad, steamboat, telegraph and tele-
phone companies are compelled to per
form duties every day in the year. The
same can be said of equally as many
men and others. That each
and every one should be allowed one
day out of the seven for rest Of body
and mind is taught by nature as well as
by our faith. But have human laws in the |
main succeeded in securing this desidera-
tum for the masses?
MAYOR JOEL H. CUTCHIN, of Ros-