Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-02-03
PUBLIC OPINION.
Editor EVENING NEWS:

Editor EVENING NEWS:
In common with all l~aw-abiding
citizens, the recent order of the may
or instructing the police to close the
saloons promptly at midnight was
welcomed as a harbinger of reforms
TO come, and | am pleased with the
almost universal compliance with the
command. 1t proved c~onclusively
the contention of those interested in
the observance of the law to be cor
rect-that it vas only necessary for
authorities TO act in the matter and
the abuses would he remedied. The
effect of the order was at once mani
fest; quiet and orderly streets being
the rule, and a very noticeable and
gratifying improvement in all condi-
lions.
What surprises me, however, is
that the mayor should stop at insist
ing on saloons being closed at mid
night only, without any reference to
the glazing violations of the law on
Sundays. 1t certainly seems to me
that, outside of the law itself being
violated in having open saloons, the
prevention of the dissertation of the
Sabbath should appeal most forcibly
to all who respect that day and have
the interests of our fair city at heart.
| cannot understand why the order
was not given to have the law obeyed
in all its provisions; why a seeming
license should be given to sell on the
Sabbath by restricting the order to
close at midnight. Or course, by the
issuance of such an order the infer
ence would most naturally be taken
that if the saloonkeepers comply
with this particular provision, there
would be no further interference.
At least l should take it that way if I
were in the business, and by the in
creased boldness the saloon men now
sell on Sunday it would appear as if
they so understood it.
The law, of course, should be obey
ed in all of its provisions, and there
should be no exception; and yet, if
there must be an exception, | believe
the sentiment of the community
would be in favor of allowing bust
ness to be done twenty-four hours a
day for six days, provided the Sab
bath day be kept holy. 1t is to be
hoped the mayor will take into con-
sideration the feelings and wishes of
the decent, l~aw-abiding classes of the
community, irrespective of political
and religious creeds, and authorize
the police 10 see that the excise laws
are obeyed to the letter in all partic-
ulars, on SUNDAYS as we'll as week
days. Then such ~disgraceful scenes
as portrayed by one of your CORE
s%pondents as happening when people
were returning from church, will nc
longer be witnessed; the merry clang
of the cash register no longer rudely
break upon the Sabbath stiffness. and
the spectacle of saloons open ready
for business at the early hour of $50
a. m, as seen on west Smith street
last Sunday Tin the case of at least
two saloons to my personal knowl-
edge), will be unknown.
The people are slowly rising in
their might to check the arrogant
and persistent defiance of the wise
laws framed to restrict the evils of
intemperance, and it will be we'll for
these violators to. read and interpret
the handwriting on the wall" The
papers chronicle daily of measures
being taken by both priests and lay
men TO devise means to curb this
growing evil. and if the whole miser-
able business be swept out of exist
ence the saloonkeepers have no one
10 blame but themselves. Their in
satiate greed to wiring out the last
cent. and in so doing overriding all
principles OF honesty, decency and
law, will be the means of their undo