Smyrna times., 1906-06-20

Judge Lore are not to be decided in !
the newspapers but by higher tribu-
nal authorized in the law to deal with
all cases like that under consideration,
and that will come in due time, unless
the matter be satisfactorily adjudicated
in the meantime. All admit that as a
private citizen judge has the right to
entertain any opinion he sees fit to
entertain but to say in advance that GER
tain forms of secular work are a neces-
sity on the Lords day is in the very
nature of the case to PREJUDICE the
case and hence he is disqualified to sit
on bench where such a case is to be
tried This is so let the law be what
it may, or concerning anything that
has bsen made a subject of law. If
this were not SO why did the honorable
judges wait until the Governor Lea
called upon them for an opinion as to
the cOnstitutionality of the Local
Option Law passed at the regular ses-
sion of the legislature? Every judge
on the bench knew as soon as the law
was passed that it was full of holes,
but not Judge opened his lips because
he knew it would be unjudicial in the
extreme to do so until he was called
upon to speak In his judicial capacity.
Finally as to liberty of opinion on
any question that affects the public
veal the writer gives place to none in
the freedom of such expression, but
the expression of any opinion can in no
sense change or modify either the laws
of God or man. The anarchist boldly
and brutally denies the sanctity or
reality of all law yet when he wantonly
violates the law of the land he is pun
ished for his violation. What has his
opinion to do with the validity of law?
Ii am relate myself to either human
or divine law by my personal opinion
where will the end be? This will in
evitably lead to anarchy pure aud
simple. 1t is worthy of note that GER
tain ministers are being branded as
narrow minded fanatics or hot headed
enthusiasts because of their expression
of honest opinions on the matter
of the sanctity of the Sabbath 1t is
wonderful how broad minded some
folks are when you give them a mo-
nOply of the freedom of expression of
opinion but when their opinions are
successfully controverted they prompt
ly raise the cry of narrowness aud
fanaticism, 80, consistency thou art
a jewel"
In conclusion it should be borne in
mind that the trend of modern social
aud commercial opinions and customs
is not in the direction of Justice, good
morals or the wellbeing of the masses.
We need ho stronger proof of this fact
than in the recent decision of the Su-
preme Court of the country on the
| divorce question, and the horrible and
| disgusting revelations of the atrOcious
conduct of the beef packers who for
the sake of gain have deliberately
leoparded the lives of thousands and
Psent other thousands to untimely
graves as in the case of the soldiers
during the Spanish-American war.
Further proof is furnished by the fact
that the Congress of the United States
has found it necessary to pass pure
food laws and anti rebate and anti
trust laws for the protection of the
people. The trend of modern customs
and opinions is decided by the few
uutil in sheer desperation the many
are driven to act 1t will one day be
true that ''the voice of God will be
the voice of the people," for ''the law
of the Lord is perfect Already the
pendulum is swinging in the right di-
rection. The people will yet see that
Gods laws are the sure source of
their protection and safety. His laws
observed means life, prosperity aud
peace. His laws disr egarded mean
disaster, ruin and death.
ROBERT WATT.
Smyrna, Del, June 16, 1906.