The Republican journal., 1905-05-11
NAMES BLUE LAWS.

| The very strict enfOrcemout VI some
of the Statutes of Maine just now pre-
vailing suggests the remark that-to
| use the current Slang-"Chere are
Others" Summer visitors, coming to
the Pine Tree State from other sections
| of the country where matters OF person.
al conduct are not so carefully regulat-
ed by legal enactment, are beginning
to inquire what they can DO IN Maine
and not lay themselves liable to fines
and imprisonment.
Well, it is hard to say with certainty;
but there are several things which, &C
cording the bluest of the laws recorded
in the Revised Statutes of Maine, they
cannot do without danger of being
prosecuted by their more piOuS neigh
bOrs:
1. Any one who profanely curses or
swears, may on complaint within
twenty days thereafter be fined 5000
per swear, and $500 Cor any subse-
quent offence in that line. 1t would
perhaps be safe to swear mildly in San
scrit, because although of course the
Deity would understand it, probably no
Maine trial justice does.
2. Persons who have the temerity to
deny the final judgment of the world"
or, being of a scientific turn of mind,
"ridicule the account of the creation of
the world as contained in the book of
Genesis may be imprisoned for not
more than two years, or fined not ex-
ceeding 5000, for each offence. In case
these matters come up for discussion
the safer course is to take agnostic
ground and say 81 don't know" AS
there is really nobody who positively
does know, it is believed that such re-
ply would be held to be lawful by the
courts.
8. AS blackboard riding, or riding in
private carriages or automobiles, row.
ing, sailing, or cruising about our bays
and harbors in motor launches, or pic
nicing at the islands CD Sunday-known
to the law as the Lord's Day-are not
"works of necessity or charity" any
one INDUCING in such unlawful
pleasure may on Monday morning or
later be required to pay fine of SO,
and costs of prosecution.
4. The playing of bands, hand organs,
(and perhaps pianos-SOme hope so or
'the using" (the law says any recrea-
night and twelve o'clock Sunday night
). In fact the only thing to deter
mine is this: If the thing you propose
to do on Sunday is a work of necessity
OF charity, then you may safely dol if
not. not. So, unless you are prepared
to pay over your ten dollars, you had
better abstain. No store orshop, work
house, or warehouse shall be kept open
on Sunday, and no work, labor or
business of any kind may be done on
Sunday, under the penalty of $40 fine
for each offence.
'Tythingmen or any other persons
may prosecute for all these Offences"
at any time within six months after
the commission thereof.
Although not strictly work of ne
cessity or charity, it is thought by legal
experts that for one to visit ones
grandfather's grave-provided the de-
ceased ancestor lies inferred within
easy walking distance of the city, town
or village where one resides would be a
sunday recreation that might be wink
ed at by the authorities.
There is no necessity or charity in
shaving, or blackening ones boots on
Sunday therefore ten dollar fine
would be properly imposed in such
cases. One shaves the face you know
in order to look more neat and clean;
but our opposite neighbor shaves his
lawn in order that that may look neat
er-neither are works of necessity; both
are unlawful-on Sunday. If persons
were allowed to blacken their shoes on
Sunday with impunity Tor Day and
Martins blacking) it follows that they
may also blacken the parlor stove,
whitewash their fences or paint their
houses; and of course all such acts on
Sunday are highly reprehensible and
properly punishable by law.
This list of crimes might be very
much extended; but we forbear.
By the way, we notice that Mayor
Purinton of Waterville is putting in
force few of these ancient statutes in
that city. He is inconsistent, however,
for it is surely as illegal to sell drugs
and newspapers during the two Sun
day hours designated by the Mayor as
it Is during the other twenty-five. MI.
Purinton should remember recent. COM
ments on "sheriff-made law. Maine
Coast Cottager.