The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-02-17
THE SUNDAY LEGISLATION.

1
90 prominently before the Legislature
Of this State. We have given hereto
fore the arguments in favor OF those
Sunday laws, and some Of the argu.
ments against them. The church or
gan here has taken upon itself the
championship of the Sunday laws, and
this without much regard for the rights
of persons who do not coincide with
the view that Sunday is the proper
Sabbath of the Scriptures. In order
that their opinions shall not be sub
merged, we give space to the following
communication from Mr.. John T. Blunt,
who represents the Western League for
the Preservation of Civil Liberty. and
is secretary of the Pacific Religious
Liberty Association, with headquarters
at Los Angeles, California. His com
munication is direct to the point, as fol-
lows:
Salt Lake City, Feb. IT, 1918.
Editor The Tribune;-On the evening
OF February 9Th. tho Deseret Evening
News contained an editorial on Sunday
closing in which this language was
fused.
I'VE do not believe the LEGISLATURE
should Interfere with any OF the leGiti-
mate rights. or prerogatlves OF the mi~
nority, to whom Sunday is but one day
Interpreted. is not fair and Just to all.
It discriminates. One class OF business
is compelled to close one day out OF
seven While another 1n;,. Is permitted to run
tween legitimate places OF business? In
the really wlde-opeD towns OF the Old
World, no such distinction is made, Bv-
cry place OF business and every drinking
shop and every gambling he'll is as wide
open on Sunday as on Monday. That
Is fair to all, In other. not quite SO
is closed during the few hours during
which divine services are held That is
also fair 70 all But why a dry goods
store should be closed and a poor picture
standing OF the common people,"
The dlscernment Of the editor being so
perfect that he can perceive the rank in
business while others continue their Gus
tomary activities. under the present rep
rehensible Sunday laws of Utah, the won
wherein he said: Let us have a good,
fair. and reasonable Sunday law. 1t is
very greatly needed, Is greatly aug
evening. crticislng seventh-day Advent
lists for their hostility to the identical
Law, which he had himself pronounced
both unfair and unjust,
Mr.. Editor. all Sunday laws are unfair
and unjust They are enacted for the
sole purpose Of exalting a day enormously
observed as the Sabbath by certain sects,
decide religious Issue 1t lnvades the
domain of conscience, and lays the foun-
dalton for more complete union OF
ShurGH S,oIa t,o,, and N state Such union is in
| ties and opposed to the natural rights
Of every citizen, IT Is the act. and not
the day II Is committed. which deter
mines its nature as criminal or other
| wise
Sunday was made a civil holiday on
no. other ground than It's customary re-
recognition thus wrongfully through un-
due sectarlan influence, It has no claim
to greater recognition, than other holi
days. Especially is this so II what the
editor of the News says is to be accepted
as a fact that the LEGISLATURE is not
concerned with the religious aspects Of
SUNDAY, observance. Then why not treat
prohibitions for Sunday laoor or any line
OF business? Treat all holidays alike.
or do not imagine that the people Will
are wanted on civil grounds, or for the
protection OF labor.
1t is true, as the editor OF the News
declares, that travellers who observe the
seventh day in going around the world
in opposite directions. would apparently
gain or lose day In their reckoning.
though on on the way the same length Of
the earth. But how would Il work with
Sunday keepers Would they not encoun-
Ter the same difficulty? Or does the cru
kdlte writer of the editorial of this even
ing desire to convey the impression tina I
the world Is round onlv on the seventh
dav and lat on sunday? But this entire
difficulty Is obv!ated as he suggests.
by the adoption OF the day line" where
passing ships add or subtract day from
their reckoning, 10 accord with the needs
sensible man outside OF the News office
pretends TO keen the exact hours the
world over. as the Sabbath He keeps
the day when 1T comes to him, in the
pieces when crossing the continent
The law which the News has declared
cured by including the half dozen addl-
tional lines OF business now sought 10 be
placed under sectarian prohibitions and
penalties. Liberty to work and liberty
Individual, is an inherent right. To
deny, this right is to establish despot-
ism j. F. BLUNT.
1t seems a perfectly clear case that
the matter of religious freedom is not
to be decided by ballot nor by the mum.
bers respectively on Que side or the 9th
er ANY single individual has as much
right TO his liberty OF religious belief
and worship as long as he keeps within
the laws and does not interfere with
any one eIsc, as nave tne nultltuus.
If it were matter for popular ballot,
no new sect could ever get footing in
any Christian community, and all Of the
minor sects, including the Mormon sect,
would be wiped out at the first election
that might be held upon the subject of
religious Observance.
The Seventh. day Adventists are I'M
questionably sincere in their advocacy
of the seventh day Of the week for the
Sabbath, the day OF rest. The Jews also
are Sabbatarians, observing the seventh
dav Of the week. The proposition that
the civic government has the right TO
intervene and impose upon any sect o.
class Of individuals. religious observ-
anee is impossible under our theory Of
government. The majority rule is all