The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-27
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Observance of Sunday Law

l see by this mornings paper that
the moving picture show men have
stirred up a terrible mess in your
little city by desiring to have the
"show go on of Sundays" If good
and instructive pictures, something
that will educate the mind, by a rest
from everyday routine of business and
elevates ones thought heavenward and
to Bible thinking and heavenly things
what a blessing 1t would be for the
poor overworlxed drug and soda water
|clerk and thousands of other poor
overworked mortals in the world But
speak of the drug and soda water
man because he is now the most over
worked class in the world. And the
good preachers, pastors nor anyone else
ever thinks of him or his comforts.
And the proprietors and owners of
drug stores and soft drink stands never
! once think of paying him extra to keep
open store all day Sunday. oh, no;
they have eased their conscience so
long on the belief that a drug store
has the right to sell everything on
Sundays just because it is drug store,
that they actually believe 1t is true.
Anu lney nave Ildue the pTedcHeTS all
believe they have this right, which is
the worst feature and | know deacons
and stewards of different churches
which own and conduct drug stores on
Sunday for the special purpose of
making money Yes, actually make
special arrangements for Sunday work
by ordering extra supply of Ice cream,
lemons, lines, etc, for the Sunday
trade, as that is the best day in cash
80 los in hn tnrAn n q tor nj or
rangements are made the proprietors
march off to Sunday school and church
and leave the clerk to sweat and fume
all day up to 10 and IL o'clock Sunday
night, boss gleeful and happy next
morning over the large sales. Clerk
has bad Sunday. Poor clerk; worn out,
tired and discouraged, but p1ods along
Meets his pastor asks: why were you
not at Sunday school last Sunday?"
"Had to work" We'll, come around
some time" and that is the last of it,
Cut the cigar, gum, soda water and
all other unnecessary sales out of the
drug store and one clerk could keep
the store open all day Sunday for the
real necessities of the sick and the gem
eral public and this clerk would have
plenty of time to rest. read and study
his Sunday school lesson IL so in
clined, and keep up with his class. And
where there are two or three in the
store his Sunday would come so seldom
to stay on duty all day he would not
mind it, and if not allowed to sell any
thing but medicine the day would not
be deprived of a day of rest, as il is
now. And if all the druggists thought
the state would be forced out by law
to do this lots and lots of them would
close up Sunday altogether because 1t
would not pay to keep open just for
prescriptions and what medicine they
sell.
And why shouldn't they be forced to
do this? The grocery stores are not
allowed to sell soda and cigars and
candy on Sunday and this is about all
the majority of druggists keep open
for or sell on Sunday. Isn't this partial
legislation to allow the drug stores more
privileges than other classes? I am
sure they do not pay for more.
] had an old time boss when l was
a boy who closed his drug store Sat-
urday night about 10 o'clock and would
not open or allow any clerk to open it
for anybody under any circumstances,
but in case of sickness. and there were
two other drug stores in the same town
that kept open on Sunday ali day.
have heard people many times ask him
why he didn't keep open on Sunday?
the other drug stores did, and he in
variably said: six days are enough for
any man to work. / am running my
business not the other fellows"
Nowadays a druggist says II the
other fellow will close on Sunday
will. In other words, IL the other
fellow will do right l will, but If he
does not | will not Poor fellows have
not got the grit TO do what is right
How | wish I owned a drug store.
would show them | could close on
Sunday and do the right thing. How
II wish some of the preachers would
take up our cause, keeping open drug
stores.
Which is the greater evil and more
harm, to keep people away from church
and sunday school or picture shows
even il allowed to show Sundays.
WILLIAM RICHARD.
Huntsville February 81 1913