The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-03-29
THE DEBATING CLUB.
DEBATE on THE SUNDAY LAW.

be to repeal the Sunday laws" Mr..
Antoine Vogel, rising to champion
the affirmative side of the question,
said: "In attacking law of the ma
ture of this one, and one being so
long established, and modified SO as
to be more liberal, requires more
than ordinary caution. However,
it appears to me that the Sunday
laws should be entirely repealed and
that the people would be none the
worse for the loss of them. Under
them man cannot enjoy his life
according to the way his inclination
prompts. Now what result does the
present laws produce? They do not
do what they pretend. 1t is said
that they prohibit men from working
on Sunday: they do not. know
this from experience. 1t is said
that man having worked six days is
entitled to the seventh as a day of
rest, and it is also said that these
Sunday laws secure him that rest.
Now, how do they do so? Why,
they take from him every means of
enjoyment and rest on that day. He
can have no amusements that par
take of public nature. He cannot
enjoy a game of ball. He must on
that day absolutely do nothing.
Why not repeal the laws? They do
not produce what they promised.
The initial movement in the aboli-
ton of the laws, was seen last week
in the firm and proper stand made
by the Attorney-General. Taking
all in all. | say repeal the laws"
Mr.. y. l.. harrington in cham
pioning the negative side of the
question, remarked, "that the SUBJ
ject before the Club was one of very
great Importance, and that in order
to meet it fairly, it would be well to
read the Sunday laws under which
we are at present living. Here the
speaker read the law of 1886. Now
in considering this question, let us
view it in the same manner as we
would were this Club q Legislative
body. In considering laws that are
either to be repealed or amended
we must consider the law, the mis-
chief and the remedy. Now we
have read the law, and where in the
whole scope can we find clause
that is not both liberal and proper.
If you were forced to live under the
Sunday law of some States, on the
Coast or in the East, you would not
onl v consider our own laws liberal,
but you would deem them an abso-
lutte blessing. Take the old blue
laws of Connecticut for instanc e.
Man is not entirely robbed of all
enjoyment, only of such as are of a
public nature, and most properly
so. There should be one day re-
served for rest and religious duties,
and special laws should be made to
enforce that days observance. Now
as to the mischief of the laws. Show
me where they have worked any
mischief? Slew me where they are
likely to, or possibly could work
mischief. 1t cannot be shown.
Now, having viewed the law so far,
we come to the remedy. Now, what
remedy do you propose giving? Re-
peal? Then suppose you do repeal,
what have you to offer to take the
laws place Nothing, Thought so :and
there your argument fails, because
of its utter impracticability. Had
you some salutary, wise, and good
enactment to supply the one you so
ruthlessly teardown, itpossibly might
be thought Of, but you have not.
You take all and give nothing. 1t
will not do. Unless the Legislators
can be given q better and more fea-
sible means of Sundays observance,
it would be nonsense to council them
to repeal the present laws"
The question now being fairly be-
fore the meeting, it was open to all.
One member arose. and siding with
the negative, said, 81 would like to
support Vogel, but i can't. He
says the law does not prohibit what
it says it does. Let him read sec
ton 2. He will clearly see that
work is not allowed on Sundays. /
don't want to see the laws repealed.
1t does not curtail the citizens en-
joyment with his family. He can
have his private picnic and the like
to his hearts content, or other
amusements, so long as they do not
conflict with the requirements of the
law. The law we have think is
very appropriate and beneficial"
Another member stated that he
did not advocate the repeal of the
law, but he did think some modiii-
cation of the law might he in order.
To repeal the law would be at such
a cost, that he thought it better to
let it be as it is, but to loose the
bands n little, would be a great be-
nefit.
Another member in taking up the
subject sided with the affirmative
by saying, 81 will not allow Mr.
Vogcl to stand single-handed, | will
come forward and stand in the
breach. know | am on the unpOp-
ular side. Now, something has
been SAID about the Sunday laws OF
New England. Progression has
shown itself wildly therefor any
reader of history will know that
| there the law of To-day. is not what