Putnam patriot., 1908-08-07
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], Instead of being a turbulent day last Sunday because one business man had announced his intention of keep ing his stoFe open on that day not only for the sale of his legitimate goods, but would sdd Sunday newspapefs, esn- dies. ice cream. and whatever else the public demanSed-it was as quiet as any Sunday the city hss ever had. In the morning the papers were received and disposed of long before the church bells rang, and all VI as quiet around the premises. This Is the testimony of those who took the pains to learn the 1 facts.
 NIT. Reniek and his family, who are Jews and foreigners, liye in the build- ing in which is the grocery store. They are evidently qaiet, well-behave peo- pie. with no disposition to give offence 1 To their American neighbors. Like some who should know better, perhaps Mr Reniek did not understand the oh- l ject in view in seeking to restrict open business on Sunday, ar he might not i have made the remark attributed to him-is he did make it at ali--"No more blue-lid Sundays for our people, 1 Even the despolie governments of Ea- rope allow great freedom 10 their sub i jects 10 enjoy themselves on sunday, although guarded as a holy day-and when they come te this land at liberty l it surprises them To find restrictions ! placed on business on Sunday. This may be the view Mr. Reniek took
 But strange as il may seem, especial. 1 ly to Mr. Renick, he has fouud no sym- i pathy in trying to have tAno more blue i lii sundays Instead of doing four ] ishing trade on Sundas-although he i had the monopoly of the eity-his sales l were almost confined to that of news ] papers. Few, if any, ladies wished 10 l enter grocery store, particularly on ] Sunday, ,;to get ice cream and candies.
 As we have said before, the Ameri cans believe in Sunday as a rest day-a suspension of itheir ordinary avoca- tons to give relaxation to their minds and bodies. To many Of them reading newspapers is regarded as relaxation. l No class or individual even, has de- sired to deprive them Of this privilege. 1 Not even our Prosecuting Attorney had any desire to do so, but did so because I the courts declared il was his duty. | ,,t ba., ,rR,ar ..8sfan,1aa xxas he'd to him, to close up all business except that of necessity or mercy
 He had announced before hand, that If compelled to enforce the state law ] he would make no eXceptions-evefx- thing ike business should hv closed up as tight as n drum, He would nut take the possibility ef drawing any other line than The law direcied-that of necessity or mercy. He regarded that 10 be his sworn duty.
 Of course, people were led to expect that Sunday would be an absolute rest day. It WAS, for one day, with the ex- ception that the police force had extra duty to perform to keep the Sunday
 lid tight, as the Prosecuting Attor- ney declared il should be.
 But that k now ancient history. The question is, how shall the new difficult ties be met: the streets cannot be sprin- ! kled Sundays, drug stores are not al
 lowed to be open, to the discomfort of people; and shalt the privilege to sell l pipers ice cream candies, &c., be mon. opolized by one person, or allowed to others who have now had io close np l their places2 If public opinion would ! aequiesee in the present order ii might,
 as seems, likely te restrict open traffic
 better, if no other attempt than Mr.
 Renekis place does open Sunday tfaf- fife. Bul there are possibilities of wi dening the open door to an unlimited extent. Then public feeling should be consulted. That is of first importance 1 and-iinal.