The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-12-06
INSTRUMENTS OF TORTURE.

Our esteemed evening contemporary
the News. takes issue with the Asto-
rian on the sunday observance ques-
tion. This is privilege all publicans,
sinners and unregenerates have in a
wide open city like Astoria. The argu-
ments adduced by the evening paper
can carry but little weight, but possibly
-are soothing to the element who have
Iecome so accustomed to violating the
law. that they believe it privilege
granted to all residents Of Astoria.
Upon the statute books of Oregon, page
ess. We find the following:
IF any person shall keep open any
store. shop, grocery. ball-alley, billiard
room or tippling house, for the purpose
of labor or traffic. or any place of
amusement, on the first Of the week,
commonly called Sunday. or the Lords
day. such person upon conviction there
of shall be punished by a fine of not
less than IS nor more than $50, provid-
ed. that the above provision shall not
apply to the. keepers of drug stores.
doctor shops. undertakers. etc. and all
circumstances Of necessity and mercy
may be pleaded in defense. which shall
be treated as questions of fact for the
jury to determine" Section 1874 page
694 reads as follows;
mo person shall keep open any house
or room in which Intoxicating liquor is
kept for retail on the first day of the
week, commonly called Sunday, or give
or sell, or otherwise dispose of intoxi-
eating liquors on that day"
These are the laws of the state OF
Oregon, enacted by the legislature for
the benefit and protection OF society.
1t is a mistaken idea that saloonkeep-
ers are opposed to Sunday closing. If
all saloons were closed on Sunday, they
would not complain as 1t would afford
the men engaged in this business an
opportunity TO be with their families
or visit with friends, or they might
ppSSAuiy uc hluuSeu " ottchu NifihS
worship. When one keeps open. others
have to- Not that they favor it, but
as a matter of business. Closing sa-
looms and places of amusement on Sun
day, would not affect the total gate re-
ceipts of the saloons at the end of the
month. There is just as much liquor
manufactured and just as much drank.
There are 46 licensed saloons in Asto-
ria. They will average $50 day each.
or a total of 1920 a day. $27, 500 month.
1881, 200 year. which the liberal peo-
pig of Astoria pay out for booze.
Time was in Oregon when Sunday
close season was provided for the sal
mon industry. and fishermen were not
allowed to fish from o'clock Satur-
day night, unfit 6 o'clock Sunday night
This was done to protect, the industry
and give fish an opportunity to reach
spawning grounds. "a Sunday closing
law for saloons would give large con-
tingent an opportunity to sober up and
become acquainted with their families,
and for this reason, II for no other, it's
enforcement would be a benefit to mans
kind.
The law particularly specifies,
Places of Amusement" shall not be
kept open on SUNDAY, Itis possible. II
the vaudeville theaters paid a license
in proportion to the benefits derived.
and would take those calliopes or hell
iopes out to some sequestered spot In
the Nehalem valley and place liberal
supply of dynamite in them. and touch
it off, there might not be as much
complaint against stheaters. but these
diabolical instruments of torture, with
out any semblance to music, but re-
sembling more the roaring Of vol
canic eruption, or the rafting Of buck
shot in a tin wash boiler. are becoming
a nuisance per Sc. People take refuge
in the theater or go to saloon and
load up on coffin varnish to escape the
hideous noises emitted from these in
StrumentS OF torture.
For this reason, the license Of vaude-
Vile theaters should be increased. They
are paying 25 cents per day or about IS
a month as a license to run the theaters
and, incidentally, those Internal ma
chimes stationed at the front door. They
demand police protection and are ac-
corded 1t. 1t costs the city SIS month
to furnish policeman, and the the
aters only pay ss. The license is too
low. 1t certainly should be raised to
so cents per day. and even IS would not
be commensurate with the advantages,
financially, accruing to the owners Of