Week 6 Reading Response

Image translation: “By looking over the proceedings of the Council, our readers will observe that the wise fathers have repealed the ordinance passed by them some two weeks since, which, if carried out, would have shut up all places of amusement on Sunday. Alda Remming and Andresson are entitled to much credit for their persistence in bringing this matter before the Council at its meeting yesterday. It was evident that the American members of the Council would have much rather let the ordinance remain as it was, but not insist on its enforcement. It required several trials to get the subject fairly before them, and as it was, the ordinance was repealed after a motion to adjourn had been made. We think it is about as well that the ordinance was repealed, for no attention was paid to it. Last Sunday the gardens, drinking saloons and other places of amusement were all in full blast, and the proprieters were not disturbed. We understand that an attempt will be made at the next meeting of the Council to pass a still more stringent law, but as the ‘Dutch have taken Holland,’ they wll be very apt to retain possession.”

According to Ritter’s article, the Sunday traditions of Germans wildly differed from those of most Anglo-Americans. For the Germans, Sundays meant a day filled with leisurely amusement. This often took the form of parties were members of the German community met to drink, joke, and catch up on community gossip. This appalled Ango-Americans, most of whom were Protestant and believed that Sunday should be reserved solely for calm relaxation without sinly indulgences. The Germans’ habit of loud, boisterous parties at places of amusement felt disrespectful to the Protestants and their religion. Even though the Germans established beer gardens and other places of amusement outside of the urban areas to try to respect the Protestants on the Sabbath, many still felt their Sunday practices needed to be stopped.

The author of the article I found appears to dislike the Sundaw Laws meant to prevent Germans from spending their Sundays in accordance with their traditions. The author certainly seems to be on the side of the Germans. I deduced this based on his praising rhetoric of the Council members who repealed their laws about Sunday enforcement. The author calls them “wise” for not forcing amusement places to close. They also make the argument that the places of amusement do not disturb the Protestants on Sunday, even when they are “in full blast”.