The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-07-13


such town as this. The open town
gives the vicious elements all opportun-
tiles to ply their trade. 1t is impossible
to preserve order in sucn a town. Go
three blocks from this church at this
hour if you doubt my statement. Such
conditions as the police refuse to touch.
This vicious population shifts so rap
idly that it is difficult TO deal with them
effectively. The only way is to create
conditions that will make it impossible
for them to ply their business with
profit.
4. The highest business interests re-
quire the Sabbath rest. There is no
business necessity that requires an open
store-except what the statutes except.
a Sabbath keeping city attracts the
orderly, Industrious and honest. These
people we must have here i'm greater
numbers if our city is to become what
many of us fondly hope. Step over the
line into Canadian towns and tonight
you find quiet and worship in the very
atmosphere But you say that is too
slow" That is Just the trouble When
person cannot find time to pause for
the Sabbath rest he is too fast! Better
they must keep open to protect them
selves against competition. If all clos
ed there would be no competition. If
there are men in business who have no
regard for business ethics pass and en-
force a Sunday ordinance and they will
be obliged TO close and thus to protect
YOU. Christian clerks should not be
obliged to violate their conscicnces or
lose their places. l know some who
have been discharged because they would
not dishonor their God by working on
Sunday. Christian character should be
valuable asset in business. A man
ought to be sought for on this account.
Instead of that he is discharged-or can
not find employment. Shame! SO
most desirable class is driven from us,
while Sabbath violators are given place.
Is this the way to build city such as
we wish this one to beg
). The future educational and finan-
cial interests of the city require a Sab
bath closing ordinance. This city is the
natural location for a college or univer-
sity Such an institution will be de-
manded in a very short time by the peo-
pie that are settling these valleys-this
great empire Where is it to be? Here
provided the moral atmosphere here
is made suitable to the safe training of
the young. If college with a 100000
plant and a $l.OOO,O0O endowment was
located in our midst it would 90 with
out students if the moral conditions of
the city were not reformed. Parents do
not select such places for their children.
Make it clean and true and you will at
tract and hold people that will plant
and ably support such an institution.
Every such thing increases the value of
property 1t is poor financial policy to
create conditions that drive away the
industrious and cultured and attract the
opposite kind. 1t is said that the mer-
chants of Minneapolis would not handle
Yakima fruit last year because they
feared it would carry fever germs on the
rind. The reputation given us by the
state board of health Travelled fast.
Yakima suffered in its business and its
reputation because of the fever. But
today we are suffering infinitely more
because of the moral conditions that
prevail here. l plead for the city be-
cause l love it and its people. ! believe
in its future. But it must be made safe
for inhabitation. The only interests that
are against Sabbath observance are
those that thrive on immortality. Are
you ready to turn these interests. so
dear and important, over to these men
and women? l cannot believe it.
We should have Sunday closing or
dinance because of the following facts:
Corporate cities have special duties and
special rights. For the improvement
of property within its bounds it leyies
taxes. We pay for the maintenance of
a more expensive government and we
are entitled to the benefits that should
accrue therefrom. The city protects
health at our expense, why not morals
also? We pay for it, The city inn
proves our property at our expense, why
not give us better conditions for home
building? We pay for it! The city
government should protect every right
of its citizenship as far as these are
involved in our city life. The city
should enact and enforce the laws neces-
sary for the public good so far as these
are RELOCATED to us by legislative enact
ment As citizens of this municipality
we should have speedier action in cases
of violation than can be given us by the
county court or county officers. So we