THE SUNDAY AND THE SALOON.
By Editor
THE action of the "Personal Liberty League" of New York and Pennsylvania in demanding open saloons on Sunday from 2 P. M. till midnight, has given to the Sunday cause such an impetus as it probably has not had since the days of Constantine; and the reason of it is that the impetus is wholly political. The religious papers with one voice advocate decided and positive political action, and so do many of the secular papers. Principles have no place. All consideration of principle is given to the winds, and everything is rallied to the political protection of Sunday. This demand of the liquor interests does not seem at all to have enlarged the genuine prohibition sentiments of the public; it is only Sunday prohibition that is demanded. The following from the New York Observer is a sample of the general discussion of the subject:— "It may be thought by some that the Personal Liberty movement will not materially affect the business portion of our communities, or, in other words, that it will not touch the pockets of our reputable business men, and therefore can hardly be expected to interest them as much as if that were the case. Of course this is a very important point—the pocket—and a very tender one. But the movement for a free Sabbath, a saloon day, may affect that particular spot quite seriously. If the Legislature should pass a law opening the grog-shops on Sunday it may be followed by a considerable exodus from the State of respectable, law-abiding, Sabbath-loving people. In this city, for example, which lies within easy distance of two other States, the question of choosing a suburban residence might be determined for many by this Sunday-saloon business." Oh, yes! the saloon, with all its abominable evils, can run day and night six days in the week, and the "respectable, law-abiding, Sabbath-loving people" can stand it all without a murmur, and can choose their suburban or other residences without any special thoughts of an exodus. But, oh! oh! oh! the Sunday saloon is an awful evil. At the mere suggestion of the Sunday saloon, there is danger of an exodus of these exemplary people. So the evil is not in the saloon itself, it is only in the Sunday saloon. We verily believe that if the saloon element throughout the country would with one consent agree and faithfully stand to the agreement to shut all the saloons during the whole of Sunday, they could go on unquestioned during the other days and nights of the week, and there would not be enough Prohibition element in the nation to cause a ripple on the surface of public affairs. The force that can abolish the Sunday saloon can abolish the saloon altogether. Then why is it not done? The truth is that it is not the prohibited liquor traffic, but the enforced Sunday, that they want.