Milford chronicle., 1911-08-18
OLO BLUE LAWS.

Upton Sinclair 5 recent threats tc
inaugurate a crusade against Della
wares old blue laws" has resulted
in newspapers of other states tC
print articles concerning such law:
existing in their respective states
A New York newspaper devoted
a column of space dealing with the
Jaws of that State, and the Wash
ingtou Star recently said
The complete closure of all
Sunday amusement places in Mary
land, under the old blue laws which
were incorporated into the State
Constitution from the English sys-
TEN, is much to be preferred, as a
matter of fact, to the violation OF
those laws by general consent. II
Maryland wants a rigid Sunday
closing law, it has but to enforce
that which has been on the statute
books for generations. On the
other hand, if it does not desire
such law, it has its recourse to
the state legislature and the popu-
lar vote to repeal the fundamental
restrictions upon individual liberty.
"The repeal of a statute by non
enforcement is never safe. It al
ways leads to corruption of greater
or less degree. New York has had
many experiences Of this kind, and
was given an effective demonstra-
ton by Theodore Roosevelt when
Commissioner of Police, of the dan
ger of continuing to permit viola
tions of specific laws on the plea of
complement public sentiment. 1t
is significant that the laws which
he then enforced, against a great
hulIabaloO of protest, have never
been repealed The truth is that
there has not been a sufficient pub
lie demand for their repeal.
"It NAV De that the enforcement
OF the blue laws in Maryland will
create a public sentiment for a
change and that out of the prose-
cutions and closures in the coun-
ties will come an organized move
ment to effect the modification Of
the statutes. Meanwhile, it is
desirable to ascertain whether law
in Maryland. as elsewhere, means
If it is a vital force, it !
should be applied without discrim-
ination or corruption, and if the
people of the state desire a change
they should be required to make it !
in accordance with the prescribed |
forms Of legislation. "
The New York Review, a theat-
rical paper, says
The case of Mr.. Upton Sinclair
and ten other members of the Sin
gle Tax colony at Arden, Delaware,
who recently served a Jail sentence
1t eighteen hours duration for vio-
ating Sunday laws, does not call
or any expressions of profound and
achrymose sy mpathy. 1t is true
hat the offenses charged to Mr..
Sinclair and his apostles were not
IF conspicuOsly violent and Grim
nal character They merely in
sisted upon playing tennis and base
)all on Sunday, refused to pay the
ines imposed upon them and took
he alternative jailing of their own
yolition
The fines ranged from rour dol
ars to eight dollars and costs, and
to settle formed no part
# the defendants plea. This had
he effect which in all probability
vas most highly desi-ed by those
n interest. It produced a great (
quantity Of newspaper comment Of
kind that seems to be Of peculiar
.esirability to Mr.. Sinclair and
other gentlemen with an
1satiable itching to break into
,rint, even at the cOrrelative cost
f also breaking into jail.
In the present instance it is
rged that laws against healthful
unday sports and occupations are
and against the princi S
les Unreasonable liberty; that such {
eng the fact, the shortest way to
leir reputation by the public lies
trough martyrdom
ITO the calm, unbiased view this
GEMS to be altogether ridiculous
the people of Delaware or any
ther State wished to be rid of their v
lue laws, they would take steps
, repeal these regulations. The
lore usual course has been to ig 4
ore them, which would be simple =
iough but for the occasional ap- {
!