The Law in Illinois against Saloons Being Kept Open on Sunday.
By GEO. B. THOMPSON
THE so-called National Reform party, which is now putting forth such strenuous efforts to secure civil enactments compelling the better observance of Sunday, offers as evidence of the necessity of such laws, the argument that saloons are kept open on Sunday, and that the people are powerless to prevent it. But, say they, secure to us the power delegated by such bills as that of Senator Blair, and we will have a lever by which we can compel every saloon to close its doors on Sunday. But in this State of Illinois a law already exists which is sufficiently rigid to meet the demands of the case. It reads as follows:— “Whoever keeps open any tippling-house, or place where liquor is sold or given away, upon the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, shall be fined not exceeding $200.”—Hurd’s Revised Statutes of 1885, page 424, section 259.
This law is explicit enough, if properly enforced, to close every saloon in the State. No saloon-keeper could afford to pay a fine of two hundred dollars imposed on him for opening his place of business. This is evident to all. Then the only reason why the saloons are open on Sunday is because the statute laws are not enforced. Now if the laws already in existence are not enforced, why enact others? Would they be any more rigidly enforced, or help the matter in any way?—Certainly not. They too would be a dead letter on the statute books. And why are not National Reformers crying out for the enforcement of those laws already in existence, instead of seeking to tinker up the Constitution and get more legislation on the same subject? While I believe that the saloons should be closed, not only on Sundays but all the time, I am confident that this is not the cherished object sought by the Reformers. The burden which rests upon their souls is that of securing religious legislation. This hue and cry about the saloons is simply a pretext behind which to hide the real character of their wicked work. Their real object is to so change the Constitution that religious liberty may be abridged, and all classes compelled by law to render homage to Sunday, and any other dogmas that the church, inflated by civil power, may see fit to fulminate.