Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-06-05
ENFORCEMENT OF
SUNDAY LAWs.

+. - -
Mayor M. E. Stallings of SuffolE
last week decided the cases IN tne
Sunday law controversy, and his de
cision was that the sale of cigars, CT
garettes and soft drinks is neither
work of charity nor necessity. The
firms who made test cases of the
socalled "blue law" the Nansemont
Hotel, the Nansemond Drug Company
and C. S. Butler, proprietor of But
lcr's cafe, were fined SIS and costs. ].
In his decision, which is full and
in which he quotes much law, the
mayor SAYS
'It is argued that the law in question
is an old blue law, which modern
society has outgrown. Unfortunately
for this contention, the State legis-
lature of 1908 broadened the statue
and increased the punishment by max
ing it misdemeanor for its vlo-
lation.
"The legislature of 1916 amended
the law only to allow the delivery OF
ice cream manufactured on some
other day than the Sabbath"
The mayor further added: 81 did
not make the law or bring the cases
into court and cannot usurp the power
of the legislature, nor shirk my duty
as see it in these cases"
Enforcement of Sunday laws is des-
tined to bring about issues through
out Virginia during the present year.
Similar issues are on in Baltimore
and one of the papers of the monument
tai city says:
1t is great pity that religious ex
trcmists and irreligious extremists
cannot approach the discussion o!
such a question as the modification o.
our Sunday laws with better temper
and in a spirit of greater reasonable
ness. But while we have no right t.
expect moderation and charity from
those who frankly repudiate all &c
clesiastical authorities, we have a right
to expect better things from the rep
resentatives of religion. Nobody pro
poses to destroy the Christian Sun
day" The integrity of the Christian
Sunday will be in no way affected b,
anything which the ordinance under
takes to legalize on that day. No re-
ligious service will be disturbed O
interfered with by it, nobody will be
prevented from going to church, no
body will be deprived of any religion
privilege he now enjoys, nobody viii
be forced to accept any doctrine which
is displeasing to him. Those who ar
clamoring for a strict observance o.
Sunday can still believe in the Re
formation as the cornerstone of fret
institutions and civilization, and
without fear of the restoration
of the rack and the thumbscrew. 1
is not proposed to re-establish then
hut to abolish legal survivals of
former age of uncharity which enable
certain classes to torture others be
cause they happen to believe that tor
ture is good for their souls.
Many believe, with the founder o
Christianity, that the Sabbath was no
made for the benefit of the Ministe
rial Union, or for any one section o
society, and that to hedge it arount
with thorns Of prohibition against in
nocent recreation is the best way
strengthen crime and vice and t
weaken morality and Christianity.
The narrow view, which woul
make baseball on Sunday mortal ST
as we'll as a menace to Gree insti
buttons and civilization" is the sur
vival of Puritan spirit that no long
- rules the world.
Macaulay says that many person
ieleve that the Puritans objected t
! bear batting, not because it gave pal
to the bear, but because it gave pleas
ire to the spectators. We do no
think that anv such malice underlie
opposition to Sunday baseball, but
i is a revival Of the intolerance whic
! frequently characterized the old Pur
an regime. 1t assumes that certai
persons are the sole custodians of RI
! lipion and virtue, that they alone III
acrstand how Sunday ought to be en-
! Logged, and that nobody has rigl
to do, on Sunday anything excel
what they allow.
intellectual tyranny, religious t.
!. my, would be far more fatal in
| decade to ''free institutions and civ
| lization" than all the baseball game
that could be played in century.