The Lake Charles echo., 1894-08-17

Editor Echo
Dear Sir-Tn yOur excellent paper of
last week you copy from the Herald of
Chicago, the case of q Mr.. Capps, under
the above heading.
In Tennessee the laws regulating theft,
murder, and the observance of the first
day of the week as q day of rest, have
their basis on the same moral and statu-
tory code. 70 do either of these things
is violatiye Of religious principle. So 1t
is to practice polygamy or fraud.
SuppOee Mr.. Capps had been impris-
oned for violating the sixth command
ment-murder or the eighth--theft or
the ninth-peEtury OF the seyenth-adul-
terry who would have thought of crying
Religious persecution
Mr.. Capps did not Violate either of
these moral laws, which, for the general
welfare, are placed under the projection
of state laws, but his sin was the viola
tiOn of the fourth commandment, which
has also been placed under the arm of
civil law, for the protection of the labor
ing classes. If Mr.. G. is "persecuted"
when punished for the violation of the
laws of his state he is in company with
many a poor 'persocutcd" murderer and
thief. These laws rest upon the same
amount of egOtism in spch man must be
the greater part Of his makeup. At least
99-l00 of all the religiOnists of the world
accept the first day of the week as "the
Sabbath of the Lord their God
Man and beast must have rest, and
those who labor at the beck and call of
others must he protected in the enjoyment
of that rest by some arm stronger thant
the conscience OF many employers.
Since we must have a rest day, and 80
out of every 100 Of the American people
prefer the first day of tho week, why kick
at the enforcement of that law more than
another : Very respectfully,
J. A. PARKER.
We have no idea of entering into any
| religious OF theological discussion, but
will be paTdOned for briefly replying to
Bro. Parker While it is true in theory
equally binding, and the executive off,
GERS are supposed to use equal regularity,
diligence, and vigOr In the enforcement
of each and every law, such is not the
practice There Is not state in the
Union. except it may be some recently
admitted, whose statute books do not
contain laws that are obsolete, and al
though never repealed, have long since
ceased to be enforced. Such also may be
said of the federal statutes. As Mr.. Cleve-
land said OH one occasion, they have
passed into 'imOGCuOms disutude."
For example, many of the so called
Blue Laws of New England still Cumber
the statute books yet nobody would de-
mand their enforcement now.
As Il matter Of fact, all laws that can,
not stand the test of public opinion soon
become imperative, and it were better
they had never bUcu enacted. There
were laws on the statute books of the
state of Louisiana, if we are not mistaken,
until the adoption Of the last constitu'
tiOn which Bro. Parker himself would say
were better obeyod in their penalty than
precept.
As to the power Of the government tt
pass Sunday laws we have no doubt, TC
the extent to which such laws should g
is another question. Our opinion is that
every man should have the largest liberty
possible provided he does not infringe
upon the rights and privileges of hi
neighbor. For example; A blacksmith
should DO restrained from opening htt
shop on Sunday aud hammering on iron
to the annoyance of the people worship
ing on the other side of the street but il
his ngighbor, the tailor, wishes to ply his
trade, which can annoy no one, he has Il
perfect right to do 50; as also the lawyer
to mako out his brief
Understand we are not discussing the
moral aspect Of the question, but the pol
ley Of civil euaCtments.