The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-07-13
NAY CLOSE DOWN LIGHTING
PLANT ON NEXT SUNDAY
Leaders OF Sunday Closing Movement
Ask For Week to Consider Mayors
UItimatum-Hope to Draw Druagists
Into Friendly Agreement to Close
On Sabbath.

ddtlleSDuTg was uOt d Dlue law
town yesterday Hattiesburg may be
a BLUE law" town next Sunday, and
if it is, it will be about the tighest
closed town in this part of the world.
There is opposition to the general
movement which was backed by prac-
tically all the religious organizations
of the city to have the drug stores
close on the Sabbath, and the opposi-
tion will seek to defeat the object Of
the churchmen by enforcing the law
to an absurdity. In other words, If
the drug stores are closed the opposi-
ton will see to it that all other indus
tries except those specially exempted
In the law will also be closed.
Announcement of this determination
by the opposition to the closing move
ment caused leaders in that movement
to request the mayor not to enforce
the law yesterday but to give them an
other week in which to consider the
matter thoroughly.
Mayor Batson said today that he
will fine every violator of the Sunday
closing law who is brought before him,
He made it quite plain that he will
not limit his fines to owners of drug
stores.
GAS a private Citizen" said the may
or, 81 would rather see the town run
as it is rather than according to a
strict Interpretation of the laws. But
as an officer sworn to enforce the
laws, | will do it and l will enforce
the law as it is written and not as
any committee would like to have it
enforced"
The only Sunday labor which is al
lowed under the law are household
servants, railroads, steamboats,, tele-
graph lines, telephones, street rail-
ways, livery stables, meat markets
and ice houses.
The law does not exempt lighting
plants, ice wagons, milk wagons, shoe
shine establishments, newspaper
stands, newsboys, cigars served in ho'
tells and restaurants, or gasoline for
automobiles. If the drug stores are
closed, all these establishments will
likewise be closed. That is the may
,or's ultimatum.
Probably the most serious inconveni
ence which might result from strict
h application of the law would be the
closing of the light plant.
IL 81 am not sure whether this would
y be considered necessity, and would
advise with City Attorney Sullivan
before acting on it," said the mayor
b, "but il called to rule now should rule
@Ehat electric lights are not necessities
and would close the light plant along
with the drug stores"
Leaders in the Sunday closing move
ment declared today they will renew
their efforts to bring about the cooper
alton of the druggists in the movement
and will seek to avoid serious spill
in the community. Hope of bringing
about mutual agreement is the reason
the churchmen did not insist on en-
forcement of the law yesterday.
H. s. Stevens, who is chairman o.
the committee, was out of town satur
day night, when it was learned that the
mayor would not confine his enforce
ment of the law to drug stores. HI
said today, however; that he believed
ke matter can be adjusted without In
hiding establishments whose CLOSING
: Eould inconvenience the community.
"As far as personally am concern
ed" said Mr.. Stevens, "the law canno
be enforced too strictly to suit me.
may be that my own opinion would 81
empt some establishments that are no
exempted IA the law, but I am In favo
: of enforcing the law, whatever IT Is
tcontinued on Page Four.)