The Calumet news., 1914-07-27
Houghton. July "a. 1914.


Editor Replying To "Observ-
er" who questions the fairness of the
ministers in having the sunday auto
races called off at the eleventh hour
because a political situation made II
possibility, | would say that the word
fairness does not occupy very con-
spicuous place in the vocabulary of
men so creed bound as the signers OF
the protest.
The races were 10 have been con-
Quoted by young men Of national repu-
tation. and for one. considered II
treat TO have an opportunity TO wit
ness such an event in this neck OF the
woods, but owing To the selfishness
Of the protesters | was only able to
see the tail end Of the races. and many
good people who could have enjoyed
them on Sunday were unable 10 see
any Of them on Wednesday and are
deprived, perhaps for all time Of the
pleasure
What / did see made me admire the
pluck and skill Of the drivers, and
showed that men who can follow such
avocations must live clean lives and
that dissipation had not wrecked their
nerves and brains. The insinuations
cast upon them as well as upon those
who intended witnessing the races, is
more unfair, in my opinion than the
time and method chosen for their ac-
tion.
The men who signed the protest
practically insinuated that those who
attend Sunday races are such as
C, mprise "lawless communities
where the innocent have been
Cor will be0 the victims Of
the criminal class" Very pretty word
ing unless one tries to get some sense
out of it. and then If applied locally.
it can mean insult to many desirable
citizens. Now Mr. Preachers, if /
could publish the names of the ladies
and gentlemen of the Copper Country
whom | know intended TO witness the
auto races. and also the names Of those
have seen at the ball games, and on
the golf links, (and these are just
about as bad in your estimation) how
far would you dare go i'm making spe-
cific insinuation as TO moral integrity
I'm even one individual case? Do you
think that these people are of the class
that an unthinking person might easi-
ly assume from the tenor of your pro-
test? Would you be afraid that they
would assault you i'm the dark, wrong
your wives or daughters, break into
your homes, or commit any act that
would hurt you or yours? Would II not
be absurd to claim that they are
criminal class" and that you and your
followers were in any sense their i'm
noccnt victims? or would you begin
To think of your bread and butter, and
devote your energies To proving that
the days" in Genesis must be ordinary
ones, and not periods of time" as
scientists claim, because how could
our Sabbath he defended if the Lord
only rested i'm the seventh long pc
riod"?
VIII you kindly state plainly with
out any theological verbiage just what
you mean by the minor dissertations"
from which the very unusual" one
grew? Is ii Sunday golf? Is it base
ball? DO people run extreme risks NOR
ally i'm their Sunday excursions To the
Canal and White city? How do you
stand on Sunday fishing, suppose all of
us criminals" took a notion to squat
on the banks of the lake on Sunday,
would it be o. X? Your colleagues
in other states have tried to prohibit
all of these at various times, and as
we believe in law and order, and wish
to modify or have repealed the unfair
ones, it behooves you 10 let us know
your real attitude so we can judge
whether your recent action is an
opening wedge" to further restric-
tiOns or simply break. Play.