Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-06-15
SCOPE OF SUNDAY Law
Alexandria Merchants Will Observe
Act Providing for Closing
Business on Sabbath

The members of the police force
of Alexandria have practically notl-
fed all shopkeepers in this city that
the law requires them to cease to
transact business on Sunday. VI.
course, the statute applies only to;
cases where there is no actual neces-
sity to carry on business on that day.
and in no way affects their en-
gagged in occupations which are ac-
tual necessities. There seems at
present no disposition on the part
of any one to contest the validity
of the law, and it is believed that,
in the main, it will be observed.
Many queries have been PROFOUND
ed to the authorities as to what VIII
he allowed and what will be interdict
ed next Sunday, and the replies have
been made on common-sense lines.
In the meantime it may be stated
that it is the purpose of the authorl-
ties to enforce the law, and in cases
which may be brought to the atter-
ton of the Police Court where per-
sons have defed the act, those who
NAV be unable to show that their
occupations are necessary or have
been upon lines of well-doing will
be subject to fines. As to the validity
of the law, the Police Court, not be-
ing an appellate tribunal, will not
presume to rule on that issue, and
will carry out the law as it appears
in the code. Should offenders con-
clude to enter appeals and test the
law they can, of course, do so.
By next Sunday the officers OF this
commonwealth will be performing
their duties under the full realiza-
ton of the provisions Of the custer
law. They will take no risks under
the present order of things, and
those who may persist in violating
the law must expect to be dealt with.
We hope none will attempt to pose
as defiers of the law.
Mayor Royston Jester of Lynch
burg has given out a statement re-
lative to the operation of the "ous-
ter" law" in which he announces
that there will be no change in the
way the laws have been enforced in
the past. He says:
'The much-talked-of Sunday law
is nothing more than Section 37SS of
the Virginia Code, which was amend
ed slightly by the last General AS
.sembly the enforcement of which is
TO be secured by means of the new
custer law. Why there has been so
much comment upon it throughout
the State l do not understand for as
the law has been upon the statute
books heretofore it should have been
enforced just as any other law has
been enforced.
eve will sec that all laws are en-
forced in this city, but the amend
;ncnt to the statute will cause no
change in the policy which has been
pursued in carrying out the law in
Lynchburg heretofore. Different peo-
ple have different ideas about what
constitute household duties, works
of necessity and charity, and for that
reason do not see how any one can
fix upon any hard and fast rule or
line that must govern all the people
of a community at all times, for
what might constitute work OF
necessity or charity today might not
tomorrow or at some other time, and
that which might be necessity for
one person or family might not be
for another. Every case, therefore,
should stand upon its own peculiar
facts and circumstances.