The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1908-01-02
AGAINST SUNDAY REST LAW.

AGAINST SUNDAY REST LAW.
Theodore L. hammers. a mining
] engineer Of Spokane who has large
interests in the Occur d'Alene coun.
try and is a frequent visitor to Wal
lace, has contributed q letter to the
Spokesman Review on the evils OF q
too rigid enforcement OF Sunday
closing. His letter IS in part as fol
lows.
II have no axe Of my own to
grind. As am a professional man
/ have no business interests at stake
IN the mntter; rarely enter "a
loon Il prefer to take my drink
home when want IT,, and do not
often 60 to restaurants or theaters;
In short. usually spend my Sundays
1t home with my family. 80 1t would
make no difference to me whether
everything was closed or wide open
Sundays. l simply wish to express
what seems to me right and fair.
and what think is the opinion Of
the majority Of the people In this
city.
"A few people, led by some OF our
clergymen, are making great deal
OF noise about this. The clergy and
the members of the Law Enforce
mont league are undoubtedly estim-
able men, and entitled to their opin-
Ions; but they are by no means a
majority, nor do they have any right
to force their opinions on the rest
Of US. The mayor has received
petition, signed by many Of our
prominent business men, In support
Of his policy regarding this question.
That should certainly have consid-
cradle weight: and l venture to say
that II all the people had an oppor-
tunity to express themselves, the
mayors policy Of non-erforcement
Of the Sunday closing law would be
supported by vast majority.
THAT such law or ordinance ex.
lists does not necessarily prove that
1t is wise or beneficial: and an un-
wise or injurious law ought not to
be enforced. but repealed on the
first opportunity, which ought to
be done in this case. There is alto
gether too much Interference with
our personal liberties In this meas
ure. 1t is altogether too extreme and
immoderate to make 1t accep-
table to liberal minded people ire
spective of Its bad effects on various
branches of business.
..'As. for the principle OF the thing.
maintain. and I am certain a great
maay people think as / do. that
there u no wrong in taking drink,
eating at a restaurant or attending
q theatrical performance because the
day Is a Sunday.
There are here, as elsewhere In
America, large number OF people
Of foreign birth or descent. just AZ
sincerely religious as any Puritan.
but who are accustomed to using at
least part Of the Sundays for pleas
ure or recreation; the lab0ring ,peo-
pie have little time during the week
for Anything but their work and the
necessary rest; q good many people
do not care to 60 to church, and
from principle do not belong to any
church organization. Why should
the liberties Of all these people be
interfered with. and they be forced
to spend their Sundays as some
other people like? II some people
like to 80 to church once or twice.
or even three times, on Sunday, mo-
body interferes with them. What ID
sauce for the goose should be sauce
TOR the gander. And II one man
would rather 80 to see q good play
than 80 to church Sunday evening
that certainly does not prevent an
other man from going to church.
"Only small minority Of the men
.freQuenting saloons. n are vicious
! drNnkards. But to make : vice Of the
. moderate and reasonable indulgence
Of good cheer and fellowship II ia
make 1t q temptation to excess and
4 viciousness. It Is not . sin for a
imam to take drink, nor Is It, pet
Ie. any more wrong to sell beer OF
wines or liquors than food or any
other thing. II things are misused.
% % to''becone harmful to the In
dividusi or to the people, that Is an
other thing. !.
1T Somes mon abuse the freedom