SUNDAY-LAW RIGHTEOUSNESS.
By William N. Glenn
"Of the 12,000 saloon keepers in New York City, no less than 8,000 have served terms in the prisons. And this is the class of men whose 'good moral character' entitles them to license."—Christian Statesman. This item, though short, is to the point. It speaks volumes against the iniquitous license system, which many professed Christians seem to think is all right if only the price of license be high enough. They would add, as the crowning evidence of "good moral character," the possession of sufficient money to pay a respectable price for the privilege of doing evil. But these same saloon keepers form a class which another "national reform" organ, the Union Signal, depends upon to carry the Sunday law to a successful issue. The fond hope of having the saloon power as an auxiliary in the Sunday-closing movement is thus expressed by the Signal of May 31:— "'Sunday closing' is in the air, and it is mightily augmented by the opposition of the liquor traffic, which, in retaliation to closed saloons, in some localities, is determined to close all kinds of business on Sunday. Would that the enemy would carry this war to the gates, and that every form of industry and trade be forced to rest on the Lord's day, if necessary to secure closed saloons. Verily, 'the wrath of man' shall be made to praise Him in these latter days." Of course if the saloon keepers become the means of making the great Sunday law cure-all a success, their certificate of "good moral character" will no longer be questioned. W. N. G.