Evening star., 1915-01-24

7R 0HEN the sheriff of Prince
WV Georges county, Nd, announced
his intention, few weeks ago,
to enforce the old Maryland blue
laws in regard to Sabbath dissertation,
etc, and to enforce those ancient stat
utes to the letter, he undertook
pretty large order. Marylands old
blue laws" are like similar laws that
still remain on the statute books of
other states; they were enacted at a
period when times. usages, customs and
even mediums of exchange were great
ly different from those existing today
And the rigid enforcement of those old
laws today would cause an upheaval.
For instance. what community today
would permit a profane swearer to be
punished by having a hole bored
through his or her tongue? That Is
one of the penalties fixed in Mary
lands old blue laws" for the offense
referred to. Or what community would
permit a perjurer to be "set in the
pillory and have both ears nailed
enforced this would be the punish
ment meted out to one who failed
to tell the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth when on oath.
MANY OF Maryland due laws nave
been repealed, either in whole or in
part. Others have become obsolete by
reason of changed conditions. But
others remain in full force and effect,
never having been repealed or amend
ed, although the laws were enacted
as far back as 1715, or earlier, when
Maryland was an appendage of the
English crown
The county sheriff, when he made his
announcement in regard to rigid en-
forcement of the blue laws" referred
particularly to Sabbath dissertations
and the like. Several sections of the
ancient laws on this subject have been
repealed and other sections have been
amended But there still remains on
the statute books enough Of the old
law to make it exceedingly difficult
for sheriff today to obtain anything
like rigid enforcement" thereof; or if
such rigid enforcement, by any pos
sible stretch of the imagination, were
possible, to make Maryland or Prince
Georges county a section to be shun-
ned by pretty nearly every element
that goes to make up present day So
ciety.
For instance, the old law, still unre-
pealed. provides that no person what
soever shall work or do any bodily
"Iabour" on the Lords day, common
ly called Sunday, or shall permit or
require any child. servant or slave, to
do or perform any work or bodily
labor on that day. Neither shall any
person whatsoever do or permit any
gaming. fishing, fowling, hunting or
engage in, permit or require to be en-
gagged in, any unlawful pastimes or
any recreations. The penalty for viola
tions of this law, as stated in the pages
of Dorsey's laws of Maryland, is a
fine of 200 pounds of tobacco. No
money fine is provided: furthermore, the
tobacco must be stripped--that is. the
stems and stalks must be removed
from the leaf, that only disable
tobacco leaf remains.
The sale. barter, trading or giving
away of any strong liquor" on Sunday
is forbidden. and the penalty for VIOLA
ton of this portion of the Sunday laws
is a fine of 1000 pounds of stripped
tobacco.
In regard to the fines, which are
fixed in pounds of tobacco. another
others authorized to enforce the laws
ana to collect fines and penalties to
seize only stripped tobacco. So that
the state-or province, as it was III
l715-made sure that it would get only
clean. stripped leaf every ounce usable,
stalks. Sheriffs or other officers
neglecting this portion of the law and
seizing tobacco that was not stripped
were required, under penalty, to make
up the difference in the weight of
stripped and unstripped tobacco, SO
hat there was probably little difficulty
n having fines properly assessed and
collected.
The old blue laws" provide that any
person who by writing or in speech