Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-06
THE ENFORCEMENT or LAW.

cd in New Jersey by recent unexpected at
tempt on the part Of the authorities to en-
force the Sunday laws on that great public
pleasure ground, tic Weehawkcu Flats.
These meadows for long time have been
occupied every Sunday by immense crowds
of people sometimes es many as five or six
thousand who 90 there, ostensibly, to wit
ncsa OF engage in games of ball and other
athletic sports. But the fact is perfectly
wei known that they are there, principally,
for more Objectionable purpose s,-bad as is
the dcsecrnton of the LAY for mere amuse
mtnt. Beer drinking, pool Selling, gamb.
ling, and all Tie train Of evils which
follow from them, are all prominent fen-
lures Of these great Sunday gatherings on the
Wecha vixen Flats. Public holidays are vel
k nown to he the occasion upon which
the vices of certain class of people run riot
What must be the result in community
where every Sunday is permitted to be uset
rs public Holiday. and where the vending
of intoxicating liquors and The curse Of
gambling is Ninhed at even by the defen.
dcrs of the law There are hundreds OF
such communiti,s in the country, ans
Jersey City is one of them-or, at lea
been within a few days. What effect last
Sunday S raid upon the card players, gam
blcrs and betr-sellcis on the Wcehawker
Flats will have upon the permanent obser
walton of the Sabbath in jersey City ant
Hobokcn, remains to be seen. We sincerely
hope that it will be followed up until it i!
effcctua
The Sunday laws stand upon the statute
books; why ere they not enforced That i.
Il question which is agitating the law anC
order rarity in good many States, at the
law against the il diligence in all kinds g.
sports on Sunday. So have nearly ali thu
Eastern States. Why are not these universal
ly enforced If the people 10 not ''take an,
stock' in them, why are they not repeale
The fact is that in some Places the people ar,
in favor Of their standing upon the statute
books rs a sort of warning-like the ''n
hunting, trapping or fishing" farces stuck VI
over some of our Vermont enclosmcs-lu
are not actively and positively in favor OF
their enforcement. If some are frightened
away by the fcrocious aspect of the statute
that is about all Il e law abiding community
expects of it. Occasionally, these spasmodic
efforts will re made to enforce the Sunday
laws New jersey is not the first to have
tried IT, But the authorities are not backe(
up by strong public sentiment, and so, aftc
while, the old order of things returns, and
The offenders arc virtually masters of the
field. Laws not enforced are worse than nc
laws. They bring contempt upnn authority
and lessen the respect of all citizens for the
government which permits them to be disre
garded,
here, tncn, IS he field for the Law an,
o.dcr Leagues which are springing up al
over the conntry-to resuscitatc dead 'awp
There are some statutes wiz aeeci will b,
enforced, unless the people themselves pu
their ham - the work The executors o
The law will enforce anything which l.
backed by solid public sentiment It'll the,
will not enforce, on the'f 6Hii responsibility
law around which public sentiment runs il
H'3ided current, or lies stagnant. The
Sunday laws which stand upon so many .
our statute books ought te be enforced
that IL qdr'itt9d by all respectable citizens
! They would be enforced if the people de
mandel ii. A mass meeting of citizens is
great deal more cffcctual than whole plat
oons of police, We wish that there Nigh
be a great rousing OF pablo sentiment
Throughout the country. on behalf of the
dormant lars on our statute books. Now
is the time for such an Interest &c "e born
The Law and Hrlc;. League mould is tn,
beet iorm in which to cast this molten
white-hot public sentiment. A few months
concerted action al along the line, and thu
dignity and power Of law won'h t. pcr
manentlv cetNh'ish25