The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-08-13
lncc laws in Laurcns:

aucc laws in Laurens:
"Over in LaurenS they have Sum
day law that will not permit resi-
dent to buy cigar on Sunday but
stranger or visitor can purchase such
necessary supplies. \ visitor was at
the hotel the other Sunday and a citi-
zen walked up and said to him, Buy
me a quarter : worth Of cigars. The
visitor at first did not understand
what his friend meant, but he bought
the ci igars and the resident gave him
the quarter with which to pay for
them. Well, now, | have no patience
with any such sham and hypocrisy
and such pretense at goodness by
statute. Better not have any such
laws. That is what l mean by saying
that I am not in favor Of too many
Sunday and blue laws"
The Idler should have stated that
the incident above referred to occur
red at the hotel, for that is the only
place where cigars can be purchased
at all, by even visitors in the city.
That exception is made doubtless be-
cause guests at the hotel are strangers
in the city and are not supposed to
know about the regulation and will
no doubt fail to provide themselves
with these necessities. Besides many
Of them arrive in the city after night
on Saturday.
But the point The Idler makes is
that our own citizens evade the law
in the manner described and it is this
"sham and hypocrisy" that he has
no patience with. He doesn't be-
lieve in trying to make people good
by statute That is the same old al
gument that is used in behalf Of the
sale of whiskey; it is old and thread
bare; every politician and would-be
writer takes it up and imagines he
has struck a snag that the ''prohibi-
tionists'' cannot get over. The fact
that one man in Laurens has evaded
the Sunday closing ordinance con-
vinces The Idler and his ilk that the
law is no good. Since our "blue
laws" have gone into effect there are
hundreds Of our citizens who have
learned to provide themselves with ci-
gars and such things on Saturday. 1t
is now habit, whereas before, they
waited until Sunday morning to make
these purchases. The drug clerks
are now given little rest on Sunday;
there is not that continual serving Of
cold drinks, and there is no one in
Laurens who can conscientiously say
that the old way was better.
The Idler ought to get out Of New
berry once in a while, see little of
the world and then make his COM
ments on such subjects as this. New.
berry's way is not the only true and
correct manner Of doing things. Lau-
,rens' Sunday laws are all right, even
if one or two fellows do get around
them sometimes. And again We ask,
what law is there that is not some
times violated?
Well, we'll, now isn't this funny,
that paper away over there in Lau-
rens should even read what The Idler
should say. They tell me that Lau-
rens is a pretty good little town and
though I am Informed it is only
about thirty miles from Newberry I
Ahave only been in the town about
once or twice in my long life. But
then you know it is like this paper
says I don't get away from home very
much and I reckon it would be better
for me if I could get away more. But
then YOU know We can t all travel
for we are not able-that is I mean
we'll l don t believe I will tell the ex-
act reason. But Laurens must be a
pretty good town to be that close to
Newberry.
Now, as I said in my former OBJ
servations, I am not going to get into
u controversy with any one, and es-
pecially with a newspaper editor. The
weather is too hot-but I promised
also not to discuss the weather-and
/ am now too old for any such fool
ishness-if l was young | believe I
would like it-but then you know I
did not start out on a literary career
until | was very far advanced in
years. But then this has nothing to do
with what [ want to say.