The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-09-24
Enforce Law or Repeal It.
(Rutland Herald. J

thulldHQ Herald
The Reformer, in commenting on the
recent performance of the Brattleboro
ministers, the states attorney and the
sheriff, expresses itself rather forcibly in
opposition to the attempt to enforce the
Sunday law, which, as it alleges. is more
or less obsolete. Probably this is not
very safe attitude to take in regard to
any law, obsolete or otherwise, but sc
long as the law is disregarded more OF
less by churchmen as well as laymen. il
is only fair to examine into the probable
result if a campaign to enforce the law
were seriously undertaken.
Section 1907 of the General Laws of
Vermont reads thus:
SABBATH BREAKING: Sec. 1907
By unnecessary work, Visiting Public
Resorts for Amusement. A person who
between Il O'Clock Saturday night and
II o'clock the following Sunday night.
exercises any business or employment
except works of necessity and charity, OF
holds or resorts to ball or dance, or
uses or exercises a game, sport or play.
or resorts to house of entertainment
for amusement or recreation, shall be
fined not more than two dollars.
would not only stop Sunday baseball
golf and pleasure motoring, but would
close all garages, supply stations, fruit
and food stores, drug stores and all other
places of business, probably including
the news stands and cigar counters in
hotels and elsewhere
In fact, as The Herald has pointed out
before, it is doubtful whether a party
of neighbors could gather and start the
talking machine or indulge in secular
music for amusement or recreation
without violating the law There is nc
telling how far-reaching such statute
would be if town and state authorities
set out to enforce it.
The Brattleboro cases, if they come tC
trial. will probably show how far the
public Will go IN an attempt to enforce
the law, and the arrest, not only of ball
players, but of golf players, garage men
and fruit dealers, makes the issue fairly
, clear and sharp. If they are actually
| brought to trial-and they should be
it will give some idea of how Vermont
juries look at such things
Further, The Herald does not hold with
The Reformer in deploring the enforce
ment of the Sunday law; it ought to be
enforced. the same as any other law
The issue has been before the Vermont
| legislature more than once, and with
practical unanimity the members have
declined to repeal or even modify the
/ Sunday law. Yet evidently the public
in the larger towns and cities at least
| does not want the law enforced
Almost the same condition prevailed
in regard to the ancient prohibition
| liquor law, It was repeatedly, openly
and shamelessly violated, vet there were
| always enough 'hush hush" members OF
the legislature who refused to vote the
way they drank and who consequently
| kept the law on the books for so wears
or more, knowing perfectly we'll that il
had become a dead letter, so far as al
| least ITO towns in Vermont were con.
cerned
Evidently such hypocrisy was consid
cred good business something to adver
tise to the outside world, while as 9
matter of fact it was standing re
proach and disgrace to~the manhood and
| common sense of the state People useC
to say: 1--WE have a good prohibition
/ law in Vermont: very little rum sole
there" when a great deal of rum was
sold and in its train stalked train OF
evils fully as vicious as intemperance
| just so with the Sunday law Church
men can point to the law and say: 1--WE
keep the Sabbath in Vermont" whel
probably So per cent of our citizens either
violate the law or ask someone to violate
| it for them. People have no respect fol
this sort of law, and they should whole
heartedlv support their officers in en-
forcing it, not only against ball players
! golfers, hunters and business men, bur
| against motorists. pleasure seekers ant
those who tentatively try to make th4
Sabbath day of mild recreation, We
refuse to change the laws so that every
one can do likewise: otherwise, the Law
should be amended or repealed
Law is for everyone, not for tn
| "other fellows whose tastes run to base
ball or golf 1t is designed to hit tn,
Sunday motor, cigar. newspaper, soda
fruit or other purchased luxury or mer
convenience just as much as Sunda,
amusement and the sooner we realize i
the better
Nothing would be go educational in TIN
line of showing the people just what Sec
ton 1907 is capable of as a wholesal
and fearless attempt to enforce the Law
| in eyery town in Vermont