Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-08-07
CHAMPION OF
SUNDAY CLOSING
Mr.. Echols Would Enforce
Statutes In Regard to
Closing Business Houses
On Sunday.
Editor Leader:

Editor Leader:
Regarding the closing of places on
Sunday permit me to say. as mem
Der of the police committee appoint
ed by the council. believe that
every citizen should be interested in
and willing 10 see that the laws Of
our city and State are observed. To
this end every officer is sworn to
execute and enforce the laws. The
code OF West Virginia, Sec 1867.
reads: IF a person on the Sabbath
day be found laboring at any trade
or calling, or employ his minor chill
dren, apprentices or servants i'm la
Dor or other business except in
household or other work OF necessity
or charity nc shall be fined not less
than five dollars for each offense and
every day any such minor. child or
servant or apprentice is so employed
shall constitute a distinct offense f"
The city ordinance now reads 1T
shall be unlawful for any person to
open his shop or store on the Sab
bath day for The purpose OF selling
or disposing OF merchandise Any
person violating the provisions of
this ordinance shall upon conviction
thereof be fined not less than two
dollars, and not more than twenty
five. This ordinance shall be in eff
feet from It's passage"
We have in the code. provisions
made which exempt classes of labor.
such as mail carriers, railway mon,
etc. Now, 30 be brief, | do not
think the enforcing of these laws,
with their provisions. will work a
hardship on any one who wishes to
obey the law Some have expressed
an objection to enforcing the law on
account of The Hebrew being allow
ed to keep their places of business
open on Sunday. The law of West
Virginia gives them the privilege of
keeping our Saturday as their Sab
bath, therefore, they are not violat-
ing the law in this respect.
1t seems TO me that our druggists
should be willing TO cur out the sale
of everything on the Sabbath except
drugs and drug sundries and to CON
fine the time of opening to regular
hours. This would avoid the viola
ton of the law and give their clerks
and employees time to rest on the
Sabbath.
There are some places Of business
in the city which are run as restau-
rants and have restaurant license
That in reality do not pretend TO
furnish meals bu. keep open for the
sole purpose OF selling fruits, soft
drinks, tobacco, cigarettes, etc. These
places are Ia direct violation OF the
statutes and the ordinances OF our
city. Where such parties do not
furnish meals / cannot see where
they can come under the terms OF
restaurant or hotel keepers and their
are several other things which might
be mentioned i'm this connection but
suffice it 10 say that If the public
sentiment IS in favor of the strict en-
forcement of the laws it has great
Gearing on the officers to stimulate
the actions in enforcing them.
1t is the little acts of disobedicnce
and violations chat steal into tho
boys lives, almost unawares. that
grow upon them until they develop
into great criminals So IL is with
the city. for if we allow the Sabbath
to be disresarded and other laws To
be ignored we Will surely drift. into
the type Of some of our cities thai
have saloons. and where vice is all
lowed to go unrestrdined Oh the Sab.
bath.
! am no more Interested I'm this
than any other citizen should be, but
for the sake of the churches and the
children that are coming up under
our jurisdiction and influence, an
heartily i'm favor of the Sabbath
being strictly observed, for ON On,
sanctity Of the Sabbath depend.
largely the safety Of our state an,
nation.
j. W. ECHOLS.
-----.---.-----