New Britain herald., 1917-01-30
LOCAL OPTION ON
SABBATH SPORTS
Judge Martin Believes in AmuSe-
mentS if People Want Them

New Haven, Jan. 30-Judge Charles
| j. Martin. of Orange, has presented
one of the many bills to the general
| assembly providing for Iiberalizing
Sunday. Judge Martins bill, which
has been submitted to the judiciary
committee, provides that people of a
town or city shall exercise local option
in regard to Sunday amusements and
athletics. 1t has the merit, he be-
lieves, Of eliminating any tendency to
interfere with religious exercises on
the day.
There have probably been more
than 100 forms of Sunday bills pre-
sented during the last and this session
of the legislature, providing for the
repeal Of the old Sunday law, or the
enactment of new laws along various
ly differing lines. Sunday legislation
has had an eventful career in the gen.
era1 assembly. Though not generally
understood the old Sunday laws still
remain on the statute books. The
ancient blue laws were repealed in
1913, but subsequently re-enacted.
(, The attitude of the towns of the
state and the cities toward liberal
Sunday laws is necessarily different
on account of the variation of inter-
ests and kind of people in the cities
and towns. The rural communities,
whose representatives make up the
bulk Of the general assembly. have nc
demand for amusements on Sundays.
Their location is not suitable, to any
kind of Sunday business or amuse-
ments and so whenever bills for liber-
alizing Sunday have come up in the
house they, on account of their ma
jority over the city representatives
have had the power to kill them.
For Towns of 10000.
To avoid opposition of small towns,
Mr. Martins bill provides that in
towns of 10000 or more the inhab1-
tants may legislate for themselves up
on the matter of Sunday amusements,
that is. may exercise local option
This typiies the principle Of home
rule and removes the possibility of
the smaller towns which are not af-
fected in any wise by the provisions
of the bill, offering opposition to the
cities or larger towns, which are so
situated and so populated as to need
regulation of the Sunday according to
their own dictates.
Two years ago Judge Martin intro
duced a similar bill in the house
which was defeated by only eight
votes and which, in modified form,
passed the senate.
Senator Michael J. Quinn has also
formulated bill along practically the
same lines, which was introduced in
the senate Friday by Senator Whit
ney 1t provides that the Inhabitants
OF any town with population of
10000 Or more, except towns which
have a city or borough within their
limits, may engage in public athletic
sports amusements or entertainment
between 2 O'Clock and IL p. M. on
Sunday provided that it is favored by
the majority at the annual town
meeting. In the case of the meetings
being held annually, the vote shall be
taken then. In either case, however,
there shall be a petition of 10 per
cent. Of the votes requesting the vote
submitted to the town clerkHsat least
80 days before the election.
The bill provides, as far as cities
or boroughs are concerned, that the
legislative bodies in these places, can
pass a resolution or ordinance favor
ing amusements, etc, between the
hours mentioned and that the resolu-
ton or ordinance as the case might
be, must be submitted to the voters
of the place at the next municipal or
borough election. The mayor or
borough election. The mayor or
the measure, however.