Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-03-23
Progress of Liberal Ideas in
England,

strengthening in England TO an
extent never known in any previous
age. Only a few days ago resolu-
tion in the House OF Commons which
looked TO the abolition Of the House
Of Lords, and the doing away with
all legislators holding office by
hereditary right, received the re-
markable number of 166 votes in its
favor, to 202 against. 1t is not very
many years since ii would have been
a dangerous thing to even Introduce
such resolution, and to vote for it,
would have been well-nigh consid-
cred treason itself. 1t is not at all
visionary to believe that the time
may come within the knowledge OF
those now living, when both Houses
OF tho British Parliament, II they
continue TO have two Houses, will DO
elective, and will represent the will
of the people governed, instead OF
merely representing an idea that
some men should of right govern
others, merely because of the acci-
dent Of birth, often without any
qualifications whatever for the posi-
ton or its duties.
Another measure which IL attract
ing great deal Of attention in Eng
land, and of which much is said in
QH
the dispatches by cable, is the effort
being made by John Morley and
Liberalists OF his stamp, to have
the public museums, art galleries
and libraries kept open on Sundays,
30 that workingmen and their fam
lilies, and the great world OF men and
women too busily engaged during
weekdays 10 visit them or share
their benefits may have the privilege
Of doing so during Sundays. 1t is
need less TO say that the Archbishop
OF Canterbury and other high church
dignitaries oppose this measure.
But there appears but little doubt
that it will carry Heretofore these
places OF resort have been kept
closed to the public on Sundays, on
the ground that II would be immoral
and irreligious to keep them open on
that day. The crime OF sabbath
breaking" has been made to fit the
innocent and beneficial pastime OF
visiting these improving resorts on
Sundays. The advocates of the
change have much the best OF the
argument. To say that the art gal
leries, libraries and museums shall
not be visited on Sunday is to say
that the great mass OF the people
the millions-shall never visit them
at ali. They have no time or oppor-
tunity on any other day. The rich,
on the other hand, of course have all
the time and leisure necessary to fre-
quent such places ut any time. Thus
the maintenance OF the Sabbath law,
with reference to them, is virtually
prohibitory law, limiting their use
and benefits entirely to one class OF
the population. And this movement,
like that looking towards the aboli-
ton of the House OF Lords, is abreast
OF the progress of the age, and in
keeping with the common sense of
this generation. At last people are
beginning to find out, in England as
we'll as in America and elsewhere,
that "The Sabbath was made for
man, and not man for the Sabbath !"
that all days are Gods days; that
what is wrong on Sunday is wrong on
Monday that what man does and
: is makes him either good or bad,
rather than what he may believe or
pretend to believe; that il it is good
for people to visit and study
the pure, beautiful and esthetic-the
elevating and good, ON week days,
it will also have good effect to allow
them to do the same on the Sabbath.
And if it is beneficial to read improv-
ing and educating books at one time,
it is beneficial at any other time. The
same with reference to museums,
where the power and wisdom OF the
Almighty, in the way Of creation, are
exhibited and exemplified in the novel
and remarkable forms collected to-
gether from all quarters OF the globe.
In Mosaic days the people were COM
manded to Remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy" This injunc
ton coupled with that TO ''rest" on
the same day-spoken of the Jewish
Sabbath-Saturday by COM
mon consent OF the Christian world,
and through the usage, traditions and
authority of the church, been trans
ierred to the first day OF the week.
Nothing is more beautiful, sacred, or
deserving of veneration than this OBJ
servance. But "rest" also means re-
creation, innoceut enjoyment, and
mental improvement. The day when
Connecticut "blue laws" or any sim
liar code, will be tolerated anywhere
lin this country or elsewhere-has
passed-never to return. The genius
OF the century will not allow any such
narrow-mindedness where civilized
men dwell. The tendency is the
same in all lands. And no matter
where, for brief, spasmodic period
the trial may be made to restore the
reign OF Puritanical curtailment OF
the liberties of the citizen, and the
abridgment OF his just and proper
privileges, such trial will invariably
end in failure, whether it be made in
England or America, In the mean
time, tyrannous restrictions Of this ma
ture are gradually being overthrown,
wherever they exist, as is being done
by the present movements in Eng
land, referred to in this article.
-----
ONE of our New Orleans contempo-
raries alludes to the fact that the
North Pole is not the coolest spot on
earth. This fact has long been
known. The very coolest OF all