Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-11-20
Thinks Saloons
Should Be Closed

Editor Morning Journal
You recently published some letter
dealing with the Sunday closing ques
tfon from several different points %
view. among them were several ex'
pressing or Implying direct or indirect
I opposition TO the idea. OF these, one
took the ground Of It's being Puritan
zeal or out Of date, and generally un-
desirable. Another endorsed the Idea
in Itself, but Indicated that as the
wrong day OF the week had been Sc
lected. really good people could hard
ly do more than lOok askance at the
plan. A third would have no objec-
ton to Sunday closing II u could only
be fitted u with the missing virtue of
consistency which, on being inter
preted seemed 10 mean that We
should not be 50 cratic as 10 think of
closing the saloons until everything
else has been closed.
The first 1--WE views are good for
their face value, but In view Of recent
developments | would like TO take ts-
sue with the third, IN spite OF a well
developed regard FOR consistency,
which leads ME to make considerable
sacrifice IN her name-at times.
| know nothing Of the strength or
Weakness OF the law, nor am | In a
position TO make an appeal In the
name OF religion, but | do feel there
Is no good reason why We should not,
and every reason why we should.
stand together as a community OF
civilized people to make h best of
any law that will make II possible to
close saloons on any day Of the week
and especially on Sunday. 30 long
that * the best W. can do.
In his heart Of 81 talks every
man. knows that these places. from the
most gilded palace to the lowest dive
are an unmitigated evil, for which no
word has ever been or ever can
be said. Slowly. but surely, the world
has had the truth burned into its
brain Thai this trade stands for low
ideals and vicious tendencies, becom-
ing naturally and inevitably the medt-
um In which rs bred the long list OF
crimes and heartbreaks which are daily
TO It's doors. ] am aware That
time has not fully come when
this blight can be swept from the land,
but Il IS coming; not only In our own
country. but the world over, and nota-
bis In France. Peoples govern
are preparing, II not actually
'arrying out the first or later steps OF
VIII surely prove at last the
elimination of this monster trade,
Meantime. there are special reasons
Why sunday closing should be wei
'omcd by an. saloons vie with each
ithcr to set out traps for the unsteady
OF their victims, and for new re-
ON every street and leave un-
used no hour Of day or night Ia which
10 get them within their influences.
This is a enough az amy time, but
ln the weekly prst day. people ion
the saloon has hlottcd out
most, II not an, he possibilities of a
clean. hcalthful. normal use NJ the
lay. fall easy victims through idlcncss
pn all day debauchcs against which
their work or business protects them
Io some extent on other days, with
saloons closed, some of these and pre-
sumably q good many who are as yet
In better control Of themselves. might
stay at home. and take account of
what whisky has done and Is doing for
them during the six DAYS in which
they are more or less under IT'S inlu-
cncc. lu any Caso. we would have
done what We could TO give them the
chance.
We seem 90 have arrived az the
point where we can get "a law passed
Va hitch Be- Intended to close saloons one
day "a week. People are quite gem
rally ready Go approve % and we
should neither waste the nppurtuuitN
nor tolerate tho rctaliatory Effort
the traffic viii make Goo stretch
forth he hand and turn of the cities
put out its light. silence its
papers. tlr up lts street ears or Inter-
Doc any way with harmless and
hcalthrul agencies which put its own
Go perpetual shame. Do 100 som,
later date wp advance tu q point where
could up longer tolerate thr sun
dnK operation uf these utilities lIW-
VIII boo douht Doe framed specifically 90
regulate them meantime. they are re-
su1usihlc Tor uu mw dcIs. wreck un
homes blight uu character rob uu
children ruin mo- business and may
safely bp HIIowrd to operate ou sun
day without danger tn tho tender CON
of fhH WtultHIest uHt most
respectable Saloon keepers uU1-
where in the world aud TRUST ihe
OF Albuquerque viii -c. iHaf
their right tH regulate saloons BE- Huf
confused boz HnA WAY with tha saloon
keepers desire iu make fht process
unpopular boz impossible Dos ihe hone
urrd name of consistency.
4 CONSISTENT CITIZEN