The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-08-01
MAYOR GAYNOR
SCORES MEDOLERs
ARTICLE IN NEW YORK WORLD
PUBLISHING COMMUNICATION
OF MAYOR GAYNoR TO BROOK
LYN MINISTER WHO WAS PRY-
ING I'M NEIGHBoRs' AFFAIRS.

New York's energetic and straight
from-the- shoulder mayor, Judge Will
liam J. Gaynor, who is. said to .. be
afraid of no a CO ldition Or element
when he knows he has right on his
SIDE. has sprung into the limelight
again with a reply to a communication
to one of Brooklyn's would-be reform
preachers who called Mayor Gaynor's
attention to some of the Sunday law
violations. .
This letter Of the mayor has at
tracted attention the country over and
has caused widespread comment that
is favorable to the eminent former
jurist. The original communication
was penned by Rev. Joseph Keevil of
Brooklyn who wrote alleging that many
baseball games take place Illegally in
Mayor Gaynor's- reply which was pub
lished in The New York World:
City of New York. office of the may
or. July "a. 1913.
Reverend and Dear Sir: Your letter
of July II is at. hand. You advise me
Of an opinion of the attorney genera,
on baseball playing on Sunday. The
opinion adds nothing new to the lega'
question. You also say to me as fol.
lows;
In the light of this decision, it is
clear many of the baseball games
played in this city every Sunday are in
clear violation Of the law" .
You add as follows: ...'. +
I'VE vi do most respectfully request
you to enforce the law" ~.
It may be I should correct your in
advertent mistakes of grammar and
spelling, but l. hesitate to take that
liberty. -
1 do not know Of any illegal bal
game, golf game, Or other game being
played in this city on Sunday. You
specify none You only say generally
that many Of them are in violation OF
law, and add. that it is a disgrace to
the city. If you know of any o ought
to specify it to me If you want me tc
help to prosecute. the offenders. While
I thank you for writing to me so often
and admonoshing me, and ven nag
ging me, Il think you will admit that
| ought to ask you to be specific. 1t is
easy to indulge in general statements
and; as you know, error and untruth-
fulness Turk in generalities.
And let me add that you ought to dc
matter. You should help as we'll al
find fault. You and several others
with you are employed to see whether
any one is violating the Sunday law
and you r paid wages therefor by z
society which you got together fo1
that purpose, and you make" your liv.
ing in that way. When you dlscovel
violations you should go before thu
magistrates Of the city and make com
plants and obtain warrants to arreS
the offenders. You write to the mayor
as though, you think he ought to d.
that. Did it never occur to you tina
you ought to do 1t, especially as Vol
hire yourself out for the purpose O
enforcing observance of the Sunda.
laws? That is the way the Sunda.
law against work or unlawful games
has been enforced in this state from
the earliest times. Many people dt
habits of their neighbors in respect tx
playing golf or ball. Others do lik'
to NEEDLE Herewith. You are employ,
ed and paid wages to NEEDLE there
with. I do not complain of that. / an
willing to help YOU, but it seems t.
me that you should do your full share
and also share in the credit or tn
odiurn. whichever may follow.
1t may that as a health measure
without mentioning other considera
tions. the men and boys and girls ant
women of this great city. many o
them in hot and uncomfortable places
ought to be encouraged to go out il
the parks and fields and play game
on Sundays, after church hours. @
course. they should not play games for
hidden by law. I fear you misinterpre
the law. I am unaware of n divin
law forbidding us to play games OF
Sunday. If you think there Is sucl
a divine law / shall be glad to hay
you cite 1t to me and correct me. Whel
the great christian minister. Johl
Knox of Scotland, went to Geneva, il
Switzerland, tosvisit that other grea
christian minister. John Calvin, an
called on him at his home of d Sun
day afternoon, he found him out bacl
in the fields. playing at bowls with hi
sons and neighbors. He knew of n
divine law prohibiting him from dom
so. nor did John Knox know of AM
Do you?
AS to- our state statute on. the sub
ject, it forbids work and publ
games. If the games are not public
they do not offend against thi
statute. And this word public, / q
used by the statute, needs to 70
understood. "A game i'd not publ
within the meaning of this statut
simply because 1T Is played outdoor
and in sight of people. A public gam
lis one to which the public are invite
by d previous public announcement
thereof. Such are the court decisions
/ should add that private game ma