Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-23
of Representatives OF Washington receive
5000 a year
ALLEGATIONS of an NJ. P.

Qualifications of an N. p.
l noticed in one of the London papers
not long ago an answer to an inquiry
from some subscriber as to the necessary
qualifications for member of parlia-
ment, and particularly whether he must
have particular income. The editor
answered as follows:
"A man need not have $500 or ESQ or
even f5 to be eligible for seat in the
house of commons. number of men,
bers of the present house have incomes
considerably less than 600 year. For
the first twenty years Of Queen Victoria's
reign a man had to possess an income
of $500 year to be eligible to represent
a county and $500 TO be eligible for a
borough. This qualification was abol-
lshed by statute. and now the man who
sweeps crossing in front of the house
may be elected and take his seat in the
house of commons. provided he is not
woman a deaf mute. an infant, a con-
victed felon. peer clergyman a
Judge, a bankrupt a. government con-
tractor. an alien, a clerk in the office of
the commissioners Of hackney coaches, or
a holder of any one of number Of gov
eminent appointments too numerous to
print"
Eucharistic Congress Troubles.
The recent dispute over the eucharist
procession in London caused an over
hauling Of the old statute books, and
brought to light several peculiar laws
which have been obsolete and forgotten
for generations. The carrying of the sac
rament through the streets was forbidden
by the police last September, at the time
of the eucharist congress, under the au-
thority of an act passed in 1929, which
was directed not so much against the
Roman Catholic Church as 1t was in
tended to prevent the riots that were
frequently provoked by religious process
sions.
The same law contains the following
section:
And be it further enacted that :f any
Roman Catholic ecclesastic or any mem
her of any Of the orders, communities
or societies hereinafter mentioned shall,
afte" the commencement of this act. ex-
ercise any of the rights or ceremonies
of the Roman Catholic religion. or wear
the habits of his order. save within the
appointed places of worship of the Roman
Catholic religion, or In private houses
such ecclesiastic or other person shall,
being convicted thereof by due course of
law. forfeit for every offense the sum
of $50
Some Old British Blue Laws.
There is another law which forbids any
Jesuit. ito come into this realm on
the penalty of imprisonment, and no MEM
b-i VI oiiJ ICllSiOuS oIueE VI SOCletS
can today lawfully enter the limits of
the United Kingdom without "a license
in writing from the secretary Of state
to remain for such time as the said sec
rotary Of state shall consider proper
not exceeding in any case six calendar
months. And in any case if such person
shall not depart from the United King
dom within twenty-One days of the en-
piration Of his license he shall be i'm
priSOne0,' etc, etc.
There is still unrepealed upon the stat
ute books law requiring everybody to
go to church on Sunday. 1t was passed
in 1877, in the reign Of Charles III. and
is entitled IAN act for the better observa-
ton of the Lords day, commonly called
Sunday"
There is another law, still unrepealed
reading as follows:
That all the lawes enacted and in force
concerning the observation of the Lords
day and repairing to the church thereon
be carefully put in execution. And that
all and every person and persons whatso-
ever shall on every Lords day apply
themselves to the observance of the same
by exercising themselves thereon in the
duties of piety and true religion publiqua-
ly and privately, and that noe
tradesman. artficer, workman. laborer.
or other person whatsoever shall
business or work Of their ordinary
callings upon the Lords day or any part
thereof works of necessity and charity
only excepted. and that every person be-
Ing of the age of fourteen years or up
ward offending in the premises shall for
every such offense forfeit the sum OF five
shillings.''
Sundy Travel Forbidden.
There is still another law which pro-
vides that no one shall travel or come
into his or their nne or lodgeing upon
the Lords day or any part thereof, upon
paine that each and every offender shall
forfeit twenty shillings for every offence,
and that noe person or persons shall use,
imploy, or travel upon the Lords day
with any boate, wherry, lighter. or barge
except it be upon extraordinary occa-
sion to be allowed by some justice Of the
corporate where the fact shall be COM
mitted, upon paine that every person soc
offending shall fOrfeite and lose the
summe of five shillings for every such
offence"
Failing to produce the money for the
fine under this act it is provided that
then the party offending be sett publick-
ly in the stocks by the space OF two
houres''
While the pillory has been abolished,
the stocks are STILL in connection with
Sunday trading. at least, a legitimate
form OF punishment. The stocks began
to fall into disuse early In the nineteenth
century, but they have never been eX-
presSly abolished in England or Scotland