Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-01-06

struction at the hands of tina
tribunal while many other of it.
provisions still remain in grave
doubt. An examination ane
careful analysis of the things
prohibited will l think convince
any reasoning man Of the neces.
sity of a change in its provisions.
1t is hard for an ordinary citizen
to give a reason why candies and
cigars should be sold on Sunday
aud the sale of bread prohibited.
Why places of amusement like
that carried on at the Natatorium
grounds in this city should be
permitted to run while it is made
unlawful to use merry go-rounds
or similar methods of diversion,
why baseball games can be legal
ly played and billiards and pool
made unlawful. 1t is equally in
comprehensive why non-intoxi-
eating drinks can be sold in
places devoted to that purpose
while bootblack stands and other
necessary conveniences should be
prohibited. This list could be
extended indefinitely. The rea-
sons for many of these prohibi-
tions are simply incomprehensi-
BILE to the average mind.
Personally l do not believe it
proper to legislate upon matters
of this kind. Conditions vary in
different sections of the state.
What would be offensive in one
locality to a majority of the peo-
pie would in other places be in
nocent and almost necessary rec
reation. The closing of business
places on Sunday might meet un-
iversal approval in one place and
still would work a great hardship
upon the entire community in
other places, especially so in
mining districts. In matters of
this kind public sentiment gen.
orally controls the action of the
parties doing business and if
public sentiment is not sufficient
to control such actions and to
cause a cessation of particular
kinds of business on Sunday then
the local authorities of each town
and city should have control of
the matter and by proper ordi-
nance prohibit those things of
fensive to a majority of the citi-
zens of such particular locality.
No law universal in it's applica-
ton can be enacted that will be
satisfactory to the varying con-
ditions of this state.
AS a result of it's experience
in constituting this law the su-
preme court has proposed in it's
report to the governor that it be
so amended as to make it intelli-
gible. Undoubtedly the act needs
amendments if it is continued in
force, but | would suggest as a
still better remedy that the en-
tire act be repealed and the SUBJ
ject matter of it relegated to
local authorities in the various
municipalities of the state.
The Temprauce Question.
"The last legislature enacted
the local option law, and under
it the electors of the several
counties may decide as to wheth-
er intoxicating liquors can be
sold within the county. AL
though the temperance question
has been made a political issue
to certain extent it is, in my
judgment, a moral question that
should not have found it's way
into politics. Varying views
were and are still entertained by
the people of the state upon this
great question, l submit its
merits or demerits should be
fully developed by it's practical
application before the law should
be either amended or repealed.
| favor keeping this law intact
until a sufficient interval has
elapsed to enable our people to
determine as to its efficiency and,
therefore, hope that no effort
will be made to interfere with