The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-07-21
ENFORCE THE LAW
Says Senator e. w. Carmack with Refer
emce to sunday saloons.

ONt III UlO uLVilA EJll 10 ~ w Wo-hObluAib
July / and has it has aroused con-
siderable comment:
Throwing the full weight of his
support behind the position taken
by the News-Scimitar on the en-
forcement of the saloon law, Sena-
tor E. w. Carmack today declared
that it is the duty of all good citi-
zens to speak out at this time and
make known their positions upon
this importantque
Senator Carmack was asked if he
had any objection to stating his
position upon this matter, and in
reply to this question he said.
81 always expressed my opinion
freely upon that and all kindred
questions when | was editor of
newspaper in this city, and [ see
no reason why, now that | am a
law maker INSTEAD of an editor, /
should change the opinion | have
always held, that the saloon bust
ness, like every other business,
should be conducted in accordance
with the law.
eff there were no law against
the sale of whisky on Sunday /
should be in favor of making such
a law. If we're in favor of selling
whisky on Sunday, SO long as there
was law which forbids it / should
be in favor Of enforcing the law.
"Those who believe that the sa-
loon should run wide open on Sun
days as on every other day should
demand that all laws to the con-
trary be repealed. That wouldpre-
sent the issue at least in an intelli-
gible form, but to demand that Off
GERS of the law refuse to perform
their sworn duties in order that a
certain class of citizens shall be
privileged to carry on their busi-
ness in fragrant violation of the
law is to me unintelligible.
"If barber were arrested and
fined for shaving a customer on
Sunday it would not cause any
great shudder of horror through
out the community, but if a saloon
keeper is arrested for selling him
whisky we begin at once to hear
talk of Puritanism and blue law.
"If we have right to say that
the Sabbath shall be day of rest
we have u right to say that it shall
not be a day Of drunkenness and
debauchery.
"Itis certainly a sad commenta-
ry on the state of public opinion,
at least in certain quarters, that
man or newspaper can not advo-
cate the enforcement of wise salu-
tarylaws without, incurring form
liable and relentless hostility; but
that is all the greater reason why
every good man should speak out.
"It would be sheer nonsense to
say that such laws can not be en-
forced. The saloons in the city of
Washington are closed tight every
Sunday. 1t is not a pretended,
but substantial compliance with
the lew, and the saloon men there
have long since ceased to regard |
it, if they ever did, as an invasion
of their God given rights.
81 will just add that the saloon
men are strengthening the hands
of their enemies when they insist
not simply on the privilege to sell
whisky, but or the privilege Of SELL
ing it in violation of law. Many
a man who is not a prohibitionist
is opposed to the sale Of whisky on
Sunday; many man who is not
now prohibitionist will become
one if he can not 'be permitted to
cast en- honest vote or express an
honest opinion with respect to the
regulationof the liquUrtrafic with
out being threatened with destruc-
tion." i