Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-06-17
COMMUNICATED.
WHITaLR ARE WE DRIFTING {?

1t certainly seems strange that DIT
of goodness hurredly gets into mans
being just as soon as he receives an
Office on silver platter without the
slightest opposition. A change has come
over the spirit of the dreams OF our city
officials and they have ordered the soda
water fountains and the cigar stores to
cease from their labors and their patrons
can wend their way to the terry
boat on Sunday and for five cert, be
served with anything-froIn bottle OF
pop TO a jug of whisky. Alexandria nm
fortunately has DO public hydranls and
strangers who come within our gates on
Sunday can fsmish for water and get
the cold shoulder. These laws have
been on the statute books fer some time
snd il only remained fer men Ia ofii,e
for few years ID resurrect them. II isa
shame ON the officials and an everlasting
black eye to the city pr per. The or
deripg Of stores closed which furnish
meats and other perisbable goods Sun
day mcrniDg is hard blow t. the poor,
who are unable ID have sfIig,rst)rs to
keep what little meat they buy on Sat-
urday night and depend Gu the ice boxes
OF the salesman TO Preserve their small
purchases. But it looks like our OF
iicisls are getting as independent as a
pr ,mnei man when once ID thtt the
plblc would net like rtGin action
OF bis. He rAplied: "The public be
ID" It may be possible that those
who are enforcing these Objectionable
laws ,lsced upon The satire books BY
fan t,cs, and which were left dis .tiou-
ary) do not chew, smoke or drink, and
they csrl little about The fellow who
doep, or il may DO possible they have
relrig'rllor full to oyeIh)wipg with the
good tlirg', or they may have frieadS
who have, which are at their command.
I, will be remembered that net long ago
this same law was applied 10 the milk
men and several wtr9 hauled up and
fined and they & laliy stopped s,rsing
milk. But this affected these digni-
taries themselves, End IS II was a caae of
"whose OK is gorad" The officers soou
forgot that such law existed. Il is
just as applicable to the ice cart, the
milkmen, the newsboY, The barber and
the baker as it Is 10 the class Of people
upon whoa the ban is placed. The
enforcement of this ridiculous law is
doubly nsusenuswhen the taxpayers know
it is fslhtred by men who sr. support d
by churches and charitable rgsniz tons
which are neitl6r taxed nor taxable and
which bear no part of the burden of the
city. ! has been suggested II our law
makers, both stite and local, that the
deficiency in the revenue necessarily
caused by The indiscteet enforcement OF
sumplualy legislation, be made up by
an advertisement sgsinst the properly
preset ted by those who are most anx-
ious FL the most rigid restrictive meas
ures and their enforcemen that is,
the cbur h property, the taxable valas
Of which, ftT city purposes, would
amount 70 quite a coed sum. II such
was the CASE there would be less inter-
( nee VIII lie priv lsges OF men rs
guaranteed by t lie found r, Of our gov
trlment. II tther words some Of the
churci es and balls, the property Of re-
ligious denominations, irs used mighty
FIR 'tsreopticon exhibits, ice cream fes-
rivals, oyst r supptrj, to-, all Of which
cot, 1T The do fr befcr1 you leave, and
not penny of license Is collected trOm
them, while others go forced ID meet
the requirement, Of the Law u conduct
a similar business. The enforcement Of
this law Is SIS uncalled for as are
great msny other things which daily
trausplre in our city. II.