Gilpin observer., 1905-05-18
SUNDAY SALOONS.
Ordinance Ordered Published
is Worthless.

The most important item OF business
brought before the meeting of the city
dads last Thursday evening was the
proposition Of closing the saloons on
Sunday. This was transacted in secrecy
and behind closed doors and the council,
when that order Of business was taken
up, went into executive session, and all
newspaper reporters and base ball fans
who happened to be lettering about were
politely but very emphatically given to
understand that they would be excused.
In the fore part Of the evening Pro-
fessor Clark appeared and presented to
the board petition signed by numer-
Gus citizeos and business men. asking
that the petition which had been pres
en.ed year or more ago be taken from
the table and reconsidered. The petit
ton which had been tabled had refer
ence to the Sunday closing Of saloons.
After all other business had been fin.
ished the saloon matter WAS brought up
for consideration. An ordinance was
introduced by one Of the aldermen and
was handed to Mr.. Seymour to be read,
instead of beiog g'ven to the clerk who
Is the proper one to bring such matters
before the council. The reason for this,
it is presumed, was owing To fear being
entertained by the church people and
supporters Of the movement that Mr..
Sullivan, should he have read it, would
have failed, possibly, to emphasize GER
tain clauses in the ordinance that re-
quired special stress in order that the
full meaning be appreciated and dis
tinctiy understood. For this purpose
Mr.. Seymour was the right man in the
right place and his presentation of the
ordinance was somewhat Of departure
from the old form Of reading and could
we'll have been considered splendid
defamation. The ordinance carried and
the clerk was instructed to have it pub
lished in both of the local papers.
In their wild haste. the supporters Of
the Sunday closing movement 'over-
looked bet" Instead Of having the
city attorney draw up the ordioance as
is always the custom where efficient
cou nsel is employed by municipality.
they thought they would usurp the
power of that official and attend to it
themselves, 30 that any credit that
might accrue from the action would re-
fleet solely on them. AS might be ex-
pected it was full of flaws for several
reasons: the first being that it provid.
ed that the ordinance take effect imme-
diately upon its publication in the offic-
ial paper. That would have been prop
er under the old law but under The new
an ordinance must be published as "pro-
posed" the first time and after being
acted upon by the council it must then
be published as an ordinance with the
mayors and clerks signature. Another
error, and which would invalidate such
law 70 say the least, is that the ordi-
nance attempts to amend three ordi-
nances in one. There are one or two
other flaws that stand out conspicuous.
ly and doubtless will be observed BY the
reader in glancing over it. Here is the
ordinance which was ordered published:
IAN ORDINANCE
Amending certain ordinances, concern
ing saloon closing and the closing OF
billiard, pool and bagatelle rooms.
Be it ordained by the City Council OF
the City Of Central:
"Section THAT section OF IAN or.
dinance concerning saloon closing
printed on page 900 OF the Book OF Or.
| dinances Of the City Of Central" and