Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-06-12
TAMPA'S BLUE SUNDAY.

TAMPA'S BLUE SUNDAY.
All Tampa is laughing at Sheriff
Spencer's elaborate preparations to
enforce Blue Sunday, possibly next
Sunday, and the sheriff is beginning
to show signs of weakening. We
may we'll predict that his threats will
never be put into any very extensive
execution, for he lacks the general ap
proval of the public, even of those
who had censured him for bis laxness
in putting down vice which is alleged
to have flourished in the Cigar City.
The Tampa incident furnishes an
example of official impotency where
authority is not backed up by public
sentiment. 1t shows that ridicule is
a severe, but effective weapon if used
judiciously. The sheriff was charg-
ed with permitting houses of i'll fame
and gambling bells to operate without
being disturbe u. The evidence was
conclusive, it was alleged. A COM
mittee of citizens presented the case
to the governorS but no action was
taken. Then thel sheriff lowered his
visor. He went TO extremes of vir-
tue. He declared ne would enforce
every law on the books to the letter
Then his troubles began.
Ridicule has be len directed at the
sheriff ever since he made his avowal.
Yesterday was toy have been the first
blue Sunday, but the sheriff, at the
eleventh. h .4lsscsA, announced that he
would make no al 80 w. ''', i, ",
but would get the i''eii'e' nv
>Tribune printed it's ff2ES pages III
blue, with funny cartoons, = showing
men held up on the street at thu pun =
of a revolver for smoking, or tol
towing a dog, and other absurdities.
Meantime the picture shows drug
stores and other places which the
sheriff first said he would close, re-
NAMED open.
1t is said that ridicule is the test of
truth and virtue. But it is never APP
piled except when we wish to deceive
ourselves; when, if we would exclude
the light, we draw curtain before it.
The sneer springs out of the wish to
deny, and wretched must that state of
mind be that wishes to take refuge in
doubt. The Hillsborough sheriff
knows that he is legally and techni-
cally right in proposing strict law
enforcement, but although all laws
have some monuments or memorials
thereof in writing, yet all of them
have not their original in writing, for
some of those laws have obtained
their force by immemorial usage or
custom. Laws ought to be fashion
ed unto the manners and conditions
of the people whom they are meant to
benefit, and not imposed upon them
according to the simple rule of right,
After all, abou tthe only menace
to civilization is mankind.
1t isn't difficult to save daylight.
The holdup men don't care for it.
At times one can't tell which will
get here first, prosperity or poster
ity.
The buyer is the one who demands
c. o. D. now. An dit stands for
Come On Down.
Placing a reasonable tax on each
suggestion for raising the bonus
might raise it.
When May weds December, he
doesn't know whether he is hus-
band or just Santa Claus.
When she eats dinner and then |
chews her cud, that's cow. When
banqueters eat dinner and then chew !
the rag, that's bull.
What the nations get out of Rus
STA viii depend arge!y on when they
get into Russia,
Some girls are never uneasy about
anybody splitting the beans, and
some have small brothers.
Perhaps we would have more great
mon if we had more half wits to af-
lord the necessary contrast.
The travelling man who brings or
lers out of Russia now might refer
o it as bringing orders out of chaos.
Another inducement to go into the
,ucket shop business is that you don't
ave to make any investment in sand
'ags.
No doubt Germany has had a
hange Of heart. When she looks at
rance, she seems to reflect that