Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-25
THE OTHER SIDE.
ONE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IN
SUNDAY LAWS.
He Objects to Being Ruled by the Fa-
natics and Thinks the People of
California Won't Stand 1t.

EDITORS HERALD-At the present
time we are again reminded that reh-
gious fanatics are awake and active with
their Sunday law schemes, and, as the
public press is teeming with their plans
and purpose, it should also give the
other side hearing and permit open
discussion. As an American citizen,
who believes that persons acceptance
or rejection of christianity has nothing
to do with his rights and privileges un-
der purely secular government, rise
to protest against every effort on the
part of organized christianity to enact
and establish restrictive Sunday laws.
And while uttering this protest 1 would
ask, when and where have the people of
California at large ever requested or de-
manded the enactment of such laws
Every attempt to restrict personal lib
erty on Sunday is and always was trace
able to a few religious fanatics, and we
have in our midst today one of these
busybodies from the east, who is back OF
all the agitation now going on.
In view of this fact, am led to ask: :
Are the people of California so ignorant
of their wants and wishes in regard to
Sunday laws that they must import
eastern fanaticism and puritanism to
enlighten them? Do the people of this
CITY wish to see Connecticut law in
force here, that will prevent the rum
ming of trains on Sunday between the
hours of am. and sundown? Do they
wish to be debarred from a Sunday trip
to the coast and the pleasure of Sunday
excursions? Do they want every place
of Sunday amusement closed, and the
sale of Sunday papers, an open BARRIERS
shop or bakery made legal crime, as
is the case in Massachusetts? Do they
banker after that enforced "rest" which
their religious guardians seem so anxious
to confer upon them? In my opinion
the answer to all these questions will be
a loud and prolonged "Nol" from the
great majority. The progress of the
world has been so great since the six
teenth century that the puritan Sabbath
of that era is not desirable or appropri-
ate thing to resurrect, and the people of
the great and growing west rebel against
such intolerance as religious fanaticism
and bigotry seek to establish. Ii the
people of California felt the need of
laws to restrict their personal liberty on
Sunday, they would probably make it
manifest in various ways; but nothing
has been said or known of such needs
until the advent OF eastern agitators,
who come here and prate OF our extreme
wickedness, and plead with us to
enact Sunday laws so eastern people
can migrate here with safety and
fill our empty tenement houses.
What an insult to intelligence it is to be
told that dull times and vacant tene-
ment are due to the absence of Sunday
laws! And what a jowl that person
must have to assert such thing before
people of common sense.
How hard up the advocates of Sunday
laws are for facts and arguments when
they deal in such nonsense. 1t is both
a slander and falsehood to assert or in
sinuate that crime and wickedness are
so prevalent in Los Angeles that eastern
people cannot locate here with safety to
person and morals, and | wonder that
some one has not before now resented
this gratuitous insult. California has
no need of such people within her Dor.
ders, and these self-invited advocates OF
a puritanical Sabbath are wasting wind
and efforts in their endeavor to create a
demand for laws the people do not want.
Here in California we believe in freedom
to exist without church control, and de-
sire no union whatever of church and
state. History has revealed too much
of religious tyranny to make the resurrec-
ton of blue laws desirable, and every
step in that direction will find wide
awake opposition throughout the state.
"The Sabbath was made for man, and
not man for the Sabbath" therefore let
every man keep it as he sees fit, and
those who dislike the freedom which
prevails in California will meet with no
objections or hindrance if they desire to
migrate to Connecticut or Massachusetts,
where liberty is considered a crime and
restricted accordingly. s.s:..1;: sss-:zss
G. SEVERANCE.
Los Angeles, May %, 1890.