How He Looks at It. How do You?
By N. J. BOWERS
At one of his public meetings in California, the following question in writing was sent up to be answered by Field Secretary Crafts: “Which do you regard as the most detrimental to California, the presence of the open saloon, or the absence of a Sunday law.” His answer in substance was, “Both are bad. Can I decide which is the worst, theft or murder?” His idea was that the absent Sunday law is theft and the saloon is murder. Now we agree that the saloon is a murderous institution, and a cold-blooded one at that, but that the absence of a Sunday law is in any sense theft is too absurd for belief; and especially absurd is Mr. Crafts’ reasoning (?) in proof that it is theft. Many readers of the SENTINEL have heard that famous argument, so it need not be repeated here. The field secretary thinks that between murder and theft there can be no choice as to veniality. They are both bad, and equally bad. One is no worse than the other. Then what must we understand? Just this: that the saloons of California are no more detrimental to the State than is the absence of a Sunday law. They are no worse, no more hurtful to society. Yet he publicly declares himself a prohibitionist! This is not all. What is it that exists now that is so bad that a Sunday law would cure. O common business on Sunday and the Sunday saloon! Then honest business—the keeping open of an occasional shop and store, a farmer now and then plowing in his field, some picking of grapes and legitimate relaxation is to be ranked with the saloon and saloon-keeping! People of California will know from this on, that the field secretary of the American Sabbath Union places your honest industries, and your riding-out and your other harmless diversions, on a par with the saloon traffic! How do you like it?