Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-13
SUNDAY CLOSING LAW
Citizens Heard for and Against
Pending Legislation.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT VOICED
Various Local Organizations, 1nclud-
ing Churches, Represented.
NEED OF REST DAY EMPHASIZED
One Of the Bills Considered Declared
to Be Unconstitutional
by Speaker.

More than one hundred citizens of
Washington appeared before the District
Commissioners at the District building
this morning and discussed several bills
that have been introduced in Congress
for the enactment of various Sunday clos
ing laws. The object of the hearing was
to determine the sentiment of the citi-
zens upon the various measures. Re
ligious and social societies. business or
CARNATIONS and individuals were repre-
scented at the hearing.
In opening the hearing Commissioner
Mcfarland. who presided. read the five
bills that have been referred to the Com
missioners, and made the following ex-
planatory remarks.
The Commissioners have appointed this
hearing on certain bills proposing Sunday
laws which have been referred to them
by the House committee on the District
of Columbia, according to custom respect
ing proposed legislation for the District.
The Commissioners. as in every such case.
desire to ascertain the views of citizens
before making report to Congress.
may state for information that there Is
now no Sunday law in the. District Of CO.
lunbia. except for the closing Of saloons
and barber shops and police regulation
preventing theatrical performances. The
Court of Appeals In a test case brought
by the Commissioners has recently de-
cided that the Maryland statute Of the
eighteenth century, inherited by the Dis
trict of Columbia, prohibiting all labor on
Sunday and. providing penalties in pounds
of tobacco. Is obsolete"
Mr.. Singleton's Views.
According to the views expressed, those
who attended the hearing were about
evenly divided on the question Of more
strict observance of Sunday. The first
address was made by w. II. Singleton,
who spoke in favor of the Sunday closing.
He said there should be provided for the
workingman one day for rest.
Il am not speaking in the interests of
the churches, but speak because we urge
these measures In order tnat the masses
OF workngmen may have one day out of
these laws the personal liberty Of man is
not restricted. but 1 believe that there
should be one day Of cessation from
business. This day of rest need not nee
essarily be Sunday. but circumstances and
the laws of the church make this day
the most natural and agreeable one. AS
far as l am concerned. the cessation
could be Monday, Tuesday or any other
day during the week, so long as the
workingman is given one day of rest and
recreation.
I'VE must have a law" he continued
(which will absolutely prevent employers
from coercing their employees by taking
away from them their personal liberty
and rights.
Voice Of Opposition. .
The first speech against the Sunday
closing was made by w. A. Colcord, Sec
rotary of the Religious Liberty Bureau.
He said the question Is not one of a thou
sand or more workingmen taking day
of rest without fear of discharge, but it
is movement to get Congress to enact
law that is not constitutional This
movement Is entirely of religious ma
ture and is being advocated by ministers
throughout the country. Their idea is
that secular work Is prohibited Sunday
simply in the interests O. religious organ
izations and to provide day on which
is not to protect the masses, but to pro-
tect the churches themselves.
1T is useless to deny" he said, that
these bills are for the religious cause
In urging these Sunday closing laws the
churches are active in prohibiting amuse-
ment and pleasure paStimes on Sunday"
Mr.. Colcord concluded by repeating that
churches are trying to get Congress to
enact something unconstitutional
Charles F. Diggs addressed the Com
missioners as attorney for the Retail
Grocers' Association. He said he advo-
certain places of business to be closed
Sunday No men. he said. are compelled
to work longer hours than grocerymen.
They are citizens who observe the
laws. he added, land they want some
They want fair competic
ton. in that their stores can remain
closed Sundays, and not fear competition.
We are not particularly urging Sunday.
but we want one day, and trust you will
see fit to favorably recommend this bill.
class of persons, but we go on record as
being ready to restrict ourselves. House
keepers can purchase their food for Sun
day on Saturday just as well. and we
believe they would welcome a Sunday
closing"
Closing Law Advocated.
AS attorney for the local butchers as
ISOLATION F.. p. B. Sands addressed the
Commissioners in advocacy of the Sunday
closing bill He pointed out the necessity
of giving the workingman one day rest
each week in the interest of better citi
zenshp. and declared that the only gro
Gerry and meat dealers who desire to keep
open on Sunday are, generally speaking,
the small, irresponsible dealers who prac-
ticaly live in their stores. 1t is not nee
essary to keep open on Sunday for public
convenience. except In very rare in
stances, he said.
The interest of personal liberty was the
theme of the remarks made by j. J. Shir-'
ley. president of the Secular League, in
opposition to the Sunday closing bills. Il
stand upon the principle that what is
right to do Monday or any other week day
is right to do Sunday he said. II want
to see every workingman to have one rest
day. but that day should not necessarily
be Sunday.
James l.. Feeney. member of the legis-
lative committee of Central Labor Union.
made an address in the interest of the
Sunday closing laws. He said he repre-
sented 1.-The men who toll" and no man
should be compelled to work seven days
a week
Il am not he said "contending that
a mans right to worship upon any day
he sees fit should be taken away from
him. We want a day of rest"
German Societies Opposed.
f. A. Rockar. first vice president Of
the United German Societies of the Dis
trict of Columbia, read a protest against
any further Sunday legislation.
1.-The United German Societies of the