The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1912-08-16
MAYOR WARREN
ISSUES ORDERS
Requiring Chief Of Police to
Close Business Houses on
Sunday.

Mayor Warren handed written instruc-
tions TO Chief OF Police Varnes requiring
that official to see to it that all places OF
business not excepted under the statute
be closed tight hereafter on sundays.
This order has been under Contcm-
plation by the mayor for some time.
Mayor Warren is not Puritan nor the
son of one; he is simply transplanted
Georgia "cracker" who was brought up
in a Christian home, and who has
never lost his respect for the Christian
and reasonable observance OF the sew
enth day. For several weeks past there
have been coming 10 him complaints
that certain places of business, including
groceries and soft drink stores, were
keeping open on Sunday just as on other
days of the week. These complainants
were more particularly incensed because
the complained of places of business
were kept open way into the night and
that they thereby interfered with
church services.
Mayor Warren gave the subject care
full thought and as a result several weeks
ago he issued an order to the police re-
uuiring these places 10 close on Sundays
at $50 p. m. The downtown stores
cheerfully complied with the order, but
, the uptown places ignored it.
The mayor thereupon asked all the
, offending dealers as well as those who
had complied with the order TO meet
, him on certain evening at his Office.
But being a physician as well as mayor,
| DR.. Warren was called out OF town pro-
, fcssionally on the afternoon of this pro
posed meeting and was not able TO re
| lurn in time 10 keep his appointment
7 I Il bat CaN nj
, dealers not only had refused 10 comply
:. with his official order, but had treated
, in similar manner his gentlemanly re-
S quest.
Then Mayor Warren did more think
:. ing; he also did some consulting with
s prominent and patriotic and law abiding
6 citizens. He wanted 10 be reasonable.
!. AS mayor il was his business to enforce
law; not one law but all laws. Heshad
stated this as his purpose in his inau-
guraI address.
Here was a law; it had been violated
j. generally and regularly for years; his at
IS tention had been called TO these viola
e tions by citizens and tax payers who
,r have rights; he had tried to be reaSona-
p Bile from the offenders standpoint but
re without general cooperation; the only
a. thing, therefore, for him TO do and
is maintain the dignity OF his office and
the city of Palatka, as well as TO pre-
Of serve intact his own Sclfrespect, was TO
10 enforce the law as he had found it.
as Hence the order.
of The Palatka Sunday ordinance doeSn't t
read good TO the News. 1t calls Sunday
he the Sabbath" )" and no one who is try
nd ing to live rightly and honestly before
lie God and the people, if he be native
of American, will stand for such whang-
tx doodle expression. When the average
ar man-barring preachers who have been
set brought up that way.-call Sunday the
Ise Sabbath" watch him. chances are he's
le, trying TO pull your leg
In. The Paatka ordinance speaks of Sun
M day as the Sabbath. Here it is:
nd "Sec. 5. Any person who shal
ial break the Sabbath day by keeping oper
ty. any place OF business, or offering 10
he sale or selling any goods of any charac
as ter, except drugs and medicines, o
shall engage in any boiSterouS or Sacrl
NJ. legiouS conduct, disturbing the peac
nix and quiet of the Sabbath, shall be fine
]. not exceeding one hundred dollars, c
i've imprisoned not exceeding sixty days
c. at the discretion OF the mayor"
er, There is going 10 be some stroh
en- criticism OF the mayor tor his oroer e.
H. forcing this ordinance. But such critic
on should reflect that the mayor is swoI
to enforce the law. The council max
has the ordinances; the mayor is suppose
|; TO enforce them.
While 11AFefie wffr wfffhrbe be some warm crI
cism of the order enforcing "ft&&ss "t&sss Or GF
]. nance, such criticism is not a circu
stance TO what would be directed at
re- council should it attempt TO repeal I
re- law. And then the substance of Il
oied ordinance is the law of the State, of I
sun limited StateS-the LAW OF GOD
ap- If the mayor has made mistake Il
far il was in his willingness TO comp
re mise with the men who have be
, to breaking this ordinance. But even Il
n was evidence of his willingness 10 AC
in REASONABLE. The unreasonablent
fret was on the other fellow.
to 1t is rumored on the streets that in t
viii event that Mayor Warren insists on {
"as n, forcing the Sunday law that certain
sHib, t'itb those who are forced TO obey ha
" l'N threatened TO retaIiate by swearing c
warrants against the milk men and
Won ice men.
her, This is where the element of unre
)me- onablcnesS enters. The most adVanC
laka churchman, or TO put it stronger, I
here most consistent of Christians, do I
win expect or desire an unreasonable la
the There are articles of necessity which
reasonable man would seek to interdi
o,d Any attempt 10 do so is phariSeei
pend gone ~ seeu' vi Eloe ' 70 az faIoi
o'e wrong; in either case it would ha
poor standing in the courts.