New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-10
SUyD1Y LAYS ELSEWHERE.

Sunday laws have gone unehLotO0u 4" o"i'
city SO long that many persons imagine they
have grown old-fashoDed ana oosoleto
throughout the land. Thus the renal Coue Is
denounced as despotic, Puritanlcai, un-Amer-
iran. AS more rigorous than that OF Russia
more tyrannical than that of Turkey. ms ID
mistake. There are obvious practical reasons
WHY the rule of Sunday observance prescrlpeu
for great city should be somewhat dlHerent
from that fitted for rural regions; ana the ue-
cison may be ultimately reached that the rules
of the Code are not adapted to the metropolis
Nevertheless they are not Substantially more
stringent than those prevailing anu actuaily
enforced in other States. They are not even
as stringent as the laws which the Code super
seeded. If it shall come to DO understood that
the forms of activity which the Code prohlolts
are not punishable except when they rise TO
degree deemed "serious Interruptions OF the
repose and religious liberty of the community,
perhaps the opposition to the law may die
away. And if this should not be the result, but
that substantial amendments should be deemed
necessary. the sensible question will be How
much laxer ought the law to he for New \ ork
than elsowhere7 Recent decisions IN other
States show that their courts are enforcing
rules about as severe as those OF the CODE.
Smokers think it oppressive that cigar-shops
should be closed on Sunday. There may Oe
reasons peculiar to special localities for allow
ing this trafiic-before deciding the question
one would like to be assured that the dealers
do not wish the hOliday-but cigar-selllnG Is
not lawful throughout the county generally.
Three or four years ago the keeper OF cigar
stand in an Indiana hotel was prosecuted Tor
Sunday sales, and the Court sustained his de-
fence but last year, in another case the Court
oyerruled its former decision and pronounced
cigar-selling unlawful because unnecessary;
smokers can purchase a supply beforehand.
like decision has just been published in Penn
sylvaua
What of interference with telegraph offices
The Indiana Supreme Court, in a case only
wear ago. declared that while a single message
under circumstances of emergency, might be
deemed necessary" yet the business OF teleg-
raphy could not be deemed a work of neces
slty, but if prosecuted was unlawful and merely
tolerated. The buying or selling of goods is
not generally allowed, nor is there any prln-
cipe of law or American liberty which recog-
nizes or sustains it; every years law reports
bring several decisions pronounclng such
dealings unlawful anu VOlu, not only NHeH
keeping shops and establishments open is con-
cerned, but also when nothing is involved but
ouiet conversation between buyer and seller.
Thus Iowa aud Michigan have recent deci-
sions on the unlawfulness OF swapping
horses In Minnesota two men met on Sun
day to form a partnership in business, and the
Court pronounced their agreement void for their
| violation OF the Sunday law; this was less than
two years ago. In Wisconsin, more recently, In
al action by farm labOrer for his wages. the
| Court pronounced the contract hiring him void
because made on Sunday. And these are only
representative instances.
The doctrine of the Code, briefly stated,
seems to be that servie labor, public sports,
| trades manufactures and manufacturing em
pigments, public traffic and serving process. as
they are explained in the law, are i'll general
forbidden; and that those forms of either
which amount to "useless and serious inter
ruptions of the repose and religious liberty of
the community" are subject to very mild
! punishment This is not more stringent on
the whole than the law or custom prevailing
| elsewhere.