Norwich bulletin., 1909-03-04
The Observance
Of Sunday
HEARING IN SENATE CHAMBER
AT HARTFORD.
MAYORS AND CLERGYMER SPEAK.
Measure Not Intended to Break Down
the Puritan sunday-5asebaII Play
ing-SaIe Of Soda and Ice Cream.

Hartford. Conn, March 3.-The SEN
ate chamber was crowded and the gall
leries well filed, many women being
in the audience, today, when the leg
islative committee on judiciary took
up at the state capitol for hearing the
bill on Sunday observance which pro-
vides for the sale Of any article OF
food soda water, ice cream and con-
fectionery or newspapers, before 10
o'clock Sunday mornings, and between
and $50 in the afternoon, and also
allows By permission of the local au-
thorities baseball games on Sunday
where no admission is charged
For and Against the Bill.
Mayors of several cities spoke for
the BILL and clergymen from Hartford
and New Haven opposed it. The hear
ing consumed the greater part of the
afternoon, and at its close, late in the
day, it was continued FOR two weeks.
Mayor Hooker of Hartford opened the
hearing, stating that the measure was
not intended to break down the Puri
tan Sunday, but rather aimed at leg
islative Interpretation of Sunday OBJ
servance. He said it would allow a
man to go somewhere else besides to
church on Sunday, would give him a
chance to spend the day in the open
air, and would do much toward keeping
the young men and older persons out
Of mischief or worse.
Baseball for Factory Workers.
The bill did not aim at legalizing
professional baseball, but would allow
those persons who had been shut up in
factories all week a chance to get into
a healthy and enjoyable game. There
was no idea of commercialism in the
measure. But baseball was not the sole
idea, he said. for If it was the issue
would be divided on that point, and if
man wanted to be elected mayor all
he would have to do would be to run
On baseball platform and he would
be unanimously elected.
All Men Do Not Want to Attend
Church.
He spoke Of the conditions in the
congested and tenement districts of
Hartford, and said the provision of the
bill would be for the people living
there in the nature of works of neces-
sity and mercy, because 1t would allow
them to procure on Sunday morning
the necessaries of life. With the sum-
1ner coming on and the promised high
prices of ice, the pe or people would
not be in a position to buy ice to pre-
serve the foodstuffs they would other
wise be compelled to buy on Saturday.
and would not consequently have as
wholesome food. He believed in going
to church, went every Sunday himself
once at least, and oftener If he felt
especially good. But all men did not
want to go to church, and he would
provide some other avenues for them
on Sunday.
Sunday Evening Moving Picture Shows
He referred to the moving picture
shows given on Sunday evenings and
> he IT.
songs were Of an Indifferent nature,
but that in one case at a performance
which he attended to find out what the
shows were like there had been one
picture which was distinctly elevating
in character and which taught the
sanctityl of the home, and it was that
picture which the audience had an
plauded vigorously. The attendants at
such shows. he said. were usually for
eigners who could not understand the
English language and he thought that
If the churches would take hold of
these moving picture exhibitions and
put on moral and elevating pictures
there was a chance to preach sermons
every Sunday night to thousands of
people.
Mayor Landers Favored the Bill.
Mayor Landers of New Britain.
speaking in favor of the bill, endorsed
what Mayor Hooker had said and add
ed that conditions in New Britain were
similar to those in Hartford.
Mayor Dunn Of Willimantic said that
the mayors association had considered
the bill carefully and were favorable
to it.
Seventh Day Adventist View
A memorial from the Southern New
England Seventh Day Adventists was
presented to the committee urging that
M cOfGl sn,, I. 80.
taking the ground that any such ac-
ton was against the constitutional
guarantees of religious liberty.
Pastor Tullar Against the Measure.
Rev. E. C. TuIlar Of New Haven,
representing the district superinten-
dent of the New York East confer
ence of the Methodist Episcopal church
and about IS preachers under the dis
trict superintendent, spoke against the
measure.
Present Law Sufficient. Says Rev. Or.
Dent
Rev. DR.. Dent Of Hartford said he
was opposed to the bill personally and
as the representative of the federation
of churches in Hartford. 25 in number
He said the mayors who had spoken
reflected on themselves their local
governments and their judiciary and
had admitted that they had come to a
place where they could not govern
themselves. He claimed that the
measure savored of paternalism and
to destroy local option in all the mat
ters it referred to. 1t was juvenile
and childish in it's nature. He be-
lieved that the various local govern
ments should be allowed to deal with
such matters in the light of local con-
ditions. A uniform set of regulations
would be of value only when there
were uniform conditions demanding
such. The present law. he said. was
sufficient and he believed the less
specifications made the better.
TENEMENT HOUSE FIRE,
THIETY FAMILIES WERE ASLEEP.