The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-01

stance. Why should it be necessary
for those who have SO little, to De
forced to greater labor for the ca
price of the many. Every argument
advanced, he said, showed this con-
dition to be true, even those arguments
by the working men themselves
He said he was decidedly opposed
to any change in the present legisla-
ton.
OF those who favored q 'Fhu1nazGss-
ed" Sunday he said he would ask
that the COMMITTEES let people walk.
and not ride, if they wanted to take
part in sports during certain hours.
Those who spoke on the subject he
said seemed to know little of the his
tory of Sunday legislation in this state.
He said the people of the state now
had the right to recreate on Sunday
and that there was a distinction be-
tween sport and recreation.
Apart from all religious considera-
lions he said he protested against a
change in the present law on the
ground of the good of the homes in
the state.
OF the. Purcell bill he said it gave
local option to such an extent that
it would permit of different laws in
the same city. And he said the NOV
ing picture clause simply gave an
other opportunity to take the family
from the home.
For the Frohlich bill he gave the
same objection
He said the Perry bill was faulty
in what it had to offer in relation to
the drug stores. He thought the
prosecuting attorneys would have
their hands full to enforce the law.
He opposed the Johnson bill because
it would overwork some people. The
Quinn bill he said appeared to be
humane as to the working hours but
that it tended to make negative the
province of the Sunday.
Mr.. HeaIey of Windsor Locks ask
ed what harm there was in playing
amateur ball on Sunday. Father
Murray thought that was all right
in Mr.. HeaIey's home town where the
instance occurred.
Fred c.. Bidwel1, who represented
the State Christian Endeavor Union,
said there was no sentiment for a
liberalization of the Sunday laws on
the part of young people. He said
there might be some slight change in
the present law, but that he did OPP
pose the bills submitted and par
ticularly the one which gave local
option. OF the law which permits
amateur sports, he said that while in
some of the cities they could be sus-
pended, in the country towns the Of
fcials were not the men to super
wise. Amateur sports, he contended,
many times degenerated into semi
professional, where the whole matter
was commercialized. The organization
which he represented would strongly
oppose any such thing, which would
tend to lower the moral tone of the
community.
Rev. DR.. J. J. Dunlop said he
agreed heartily with Father Murray.
He believed that there was no general
demand for a change. AS the pastor
Of church which had on its ron
many working people, he remarked he
could make such a statement ''If
you exert the principle of limiting to
amateur sports. you do open the door
to co1nmerciaIize sports" You tend to
make Sunday not only a holiday but
a working day. Works of necessity
and mercy" he thought amply cover
ed the case written in the present
law.
Joshua BeIden of Newington, a for
mer legislator, said the present law
answered very we'll for him. but that
he had believed there might be a
change. Now, however, he could not
see why the law of the Sabbath
should be changed any more than
Thou shalt not steal" He said il
there was a change he wished to ad-
monish against anything which would
detract from the religious nature of
that day.
Rev. Dr. J.. F. tombstone said he
was III FAVOR OF universal SATURDAY
half holiday as solution of this prob
lem He said all the working men
wanted was such a holiday and that
he gave such sentiments as a result
of talks with them
J. E. Bidwen of Hartford euIogized
the church as preface to his re-
marks and he protested against the
breaking down of that institution He
thought the people were very well
taken care of at the present time.
William Angus spoke on the Quinn
bill and called history into play on
the matter and asked what had be-
come of the nations which had aban-
doned the Sabbath and let it be I'M
derstood that this country might go
to ruin, too.