The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-02-07

Communications

Editor rribune-A bill has been in
! troduccd In the legislature to amend sec
tion 1883 OF the Compiled Laws or Utah
so as to prohibit. on sunday, bicycle.
motorcycle and automobile races, rolier
skntins rinks, ball games. picture shows,
theatrtcals and operatic performances
Should this amendment be adopted the
citizen who works hard every week day
! and has little opportunity for recreation
VIII not bo permitted TO witness a base
ball game, or q bicycle race, or n picture
show, or any theatrical exhibition, no
matter how innocent aud Instructive, on
Sunday. without becoming nm offender
against the law About tho only thing
that VIII hc left for him to do will be To
60 To church or to Saltair. AS he VIII
not he in very rcvcrent or praycrfu'
mood as result OF thus having his per
sonal liberty curtailed, he VIII probably
prefer the pleasure resort 10 the sanctu-
ary.
Ii this proposed legislation bc based
upon tho fourth commandment, IL is err
runeous. That commandment says that
no work shall be done on the Sabbath.
II does not say that man shall not play
or amuse himself on that day. Now, see
Ing a baseball game or moving picture
show on Sunday is not work. On the
contrary, such exhibitions give pleasant
and wholesome recreation Surely II is
not meant By rest that ono must go to
church or remain a, homo aI Sunday.
asleep or inactive. tgreca bic diversion
Of the mind from the cares and ncrplcNl-
ties OF the weekdays is Just the kind
OF the universe never rests in tho sense
that he is inactive. Cessation from
every day labor liz desirable: but the
principal object of this proposed measure
appears to be to forbid play or any sort
OF pleasure. rathcr than inhlht- work,
II II shall become operative, tho street
car man. the employees of hotels and
restaurants, tho telegraph operator, the
policeman and many others Will Still have
To be on their Jobs on Sunday-at work,
in violation OF the commandment. How
ever. the fortunate man with an automo-
bile may eXhilarate himself with joy
riding IN the summer sunshine the lucky
man with a f1ne span Of trotting horses
may display them along the boulevard
animals 10 labor, the people may gather
in the park and listen TO the music Of
band of working musicians. the minia-
turc railway may still operate for The
and ice cream Yenders may still dispense
their wares. and the merry CO. round,
With its enhancing strains OF melody.
may still enrapturc the juvenile heart
But woe unto you baseball fans work
ers of inquity, who make the Sabbath
noisy with your shoutings and rootings!
gosues, forget the sinful allurement OF
tho diamond, and repent in sackcloth
and ashes. Better for you that you had
never seen the great American game,
little too too FAR I'm in our legislation? Men
cannot be forced Into the sanctuary by
statutes. Religion. virtue or morality
cannot be engendered In the human
heart by acts OF the legislature, Besides
such Legislation as that proposed Is un-
fair. because 1t permits things that arc
worse than the things il prohibits. Il
games or entertainments are innocent in
themselves, why should they he forbid
den on Sunday? II there be anything
improper about them, why should they
be permitted on any day? Instead OF
innocent amusements on
Sunday. would Il not be wiser to pro-
vide for a. board OF censors so az 10 pro-
vent Objectionable exhibitions on any
day? JAMES W. NKINNEY.
Feb 6. 1915