The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-04-02
Frank S. Symmonis Outlines At.
titude of Civic Federation
on Sunday Closing
SALOON ON SPECIAL BASIS
Laws Will Be Applied to Saloons First
and Sabbath Observance Laws
Will Be Expected to Adjust
Themselves
(From Fridays Daily::)

article published few evenings ago
headed Answers Federation. How
ever, those who are familiar with saloon
tactics will at once recognize the per
sonality Of Old Timer as being none
ether than saloon keeper himself.
The tactics used are just such as the
saloon men use in defense Of their bust
ness ard lawlessness. Note the appeal
| ing to the sympathies Of the working
people by trying to make it appear
that they are being deprived Of their
lawful liberties, ETC. Also the grasp
ing selfshness displayed in the fear Of
losing business to another town, etc.
One would think the working people IS
only enjoyment Sundays was to hang
around the saloons and guZzle beer and
get filled up. T say it's a mighty big
effrontery on the part of the saloons
to try to deceive the people this way
to catch the dollars they are anxious
to secure. Yes, they are up to their
business and that is the reason this
particular saloon man wished to style
himself An Old Timer" I presume.
In every effort of reform there
are antagonists who are foxy"
enough to try to appear as friends, of
fering better way of procedure, some
thing that looks we'll on its face but
which is only calculated to mislead and
distract from the end to be obtained.
| For instance, note what IS said about
|Equiet and orderly" Sunday saloons
If in case they are not SO run, complaint
to the chief is all that is necessary, SO
our good adviser wants us to believe
This is all toe shallow. 1t IS the old
game again, but it den It work any more.
The club room seems to worry our
correspondent and [ have no doubt it
does for we have them now and no
need to refer to the past. [ don It see
that we will be any worse off with the
lid on than now. In fact, with the
tpresent state law the club rooms will
be easily taken care of and / venture
the assertion that the howl about these
"clpbs' will be of short duration when
the lid is put on to stay. Now regard
ing the Sunday closing law, l would
like to say this. [ am certain that the
federation had in mind more particular
Ily the closing Of the Sunday saloon.
While it might be good thing to curb
some Other things, this is the one great
object which / feel sure the federation
is seeking to attain-the closing Of the
Sunday saloon,
We have Sabbath Observance laws,
but these are separate and distinct from
the excise law requiring the closing of
the saloons on Sunday as a police reg
ulation. A grocer is not required to
give bond and pay license to run his
/ business and if he runs it on Sunday
the law is quite different in dealing with
such case. On the other hand every
saloon keeper who keeps his saloon
Iopen ON Sunday violates two laws, the
common law Of Sabbath observance
and the excise law requiring him to keep
his business closed as a police 1egula-
ton. He is doubly guilty and conse-
quently in the eyes of the law is a
greater criminal than the grocer or the
news boy of whom our friend speaks
to get their sympathy and the peoples
sympathy who get the Sunday papers.
AS / understand the situation, the fed
GRAFTON is after the greater criminals
first then the Sabbath observance laws
will practically take care Of themselves.
But the business Of the saloon keeper
lis to befuddle the minds Of the public
| in such a way as to cover up the main
issue and get his business on the same
footing as the grocer or the news boy
which is impossible and our laws make
a wide and distinct difference between
them. Don't think the federation is
going to be fooled on the ISSUE They
who violates the special laws which
pertain only to his business the saloon.
And why should this special police reg
ulation be placed upon the saloons
Because of the amount of injury they
do and the great expense they place the
public to, Citizens, look over our
courts, our insane asylums, our jails, our
peritentia7ies, our house of correction,
and, last but not least, look out over
our city and note the suffering ard sor-
row caused by this great evil and then
do not wonder that the saloon business
lis a separate and distinct business SO
horrible in its finished product as to
need special legislation ard regulation
by laws which do not ard cannot apply
to legitimate business.
Is this Article overd1aWn and do I
not give O. reason beyond any other
that can be named when [ say that the
saloons must be closed on Sunday to
protect cur homes and young men and
Iyoung women who will soon be the
makers Of homes. All, yes, the saloon
| lists might well take warning that the
next generations vengeance might not
wipe out their business entirely.
Your respectfully,
Frank S. Symmonds.