El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-05-13

81 PASOS reputation excellent and pure that this
city would be accused Of acting courier for the
devil should take the lead IN movement TO repeal
he Texas blue laws Or maybe reputation IS so bad
hat action could take would harm It In either
It is written IN the stars that FL Paso IS destined TO
nitiate press this great reform Now is the time
To retain laws the statute books that not meant
be enforced and whose enforcement public opinion would
u tolerate IS one Of the hest ways to promote aVessnes
srespect for laws courts and public order slaness Of
mes Generalization Of police and chronic miscarriage OF
stice.
The majority Of Texans favor radical modification Of
Sunday laws. There is reason why Sunday moving
cture shows amusement parks Heaters concerts, sports,
ould be outawed- By consent certain classes Of
sness permitted to operate Sunday IN spite Of
law thus candy stores cigar stores soda fountains,
stands fruit stands bootblac stands, cafes and res
uraHts are not ordinarily disturbed and deliveries Of milk
newspapers and ice cream Sunday not iuterfered
Nth Smelte1s, newspapers public utilities, and some other
Industrial concerns continuously operated BY the necessities
d the business are regarded exempt from application Of
the blue laws. So also, IN most places, legitimate sports
But every IN a while jealous person some
where arises and demands the rigid enforcement Of the
laws they stand laws that made generations
ago and that do not fit present day conditions conform
70 present public sentiment.
What is the use Of keeping the out of date stuff on
books TO clutter them up and bring contempt against the
They serve no useful end They tend TO lncte feelings OF
mild revolt whenever effort is made to enforce them
le laws 10 enforce which attempt is made really
detrimental to public order because they tend to destroy
respect for reasonable as well as unreasonable law
Il Is pretty vel established in this state by
usage and consent that certain businesses may operate On
interest Nobody questions the necessity Of reasonable Sun
DAY laws rather laws providing day Of rest IN seven
Such laws have sound economic basis and religious
deraous need not enter in But when such regulations
carried to the extreme Of sbsurdity they defeat their
owu end, and react injuriousy.
Churches and church folk should be protected against
Hsances that may directly affect them every citizen IS
entitled to such protection Noise disturbance that nay
interfere with religious services is Of against public
policy and contrary to public sentiment and viii There Is
no division Of opinion this point
The division comes when church people undertake to
dictate 10 whole state community the in
which Sundays other rest days shall be spent Experience
proves that the people VIII not submit to such dcaton,
real hurt done TO the of public order and
troll of law when laws which public sentiment long ago
repudiated permitted TO remain the books and
sionay invoked BY mistaken zealots only bring them
stiil further into udicule and disfav0r
FL Passes chamber Of Is the body TO take the
initiative trying 70 bring about the repeal Of the dead
laws and the modification Of such regulatory statutes
remain IN order TO bring them line with enlightened and
public sentiment.
This would be definite step forward There would be
be opposition from church adheTents here and
down the state but The Of repeal and modification
would be Just and could be carried to be
Of its justice and equity The churches would benefit
By the change because they would longer be IN the false
position caused by the prevailing inconsistency.
There would be nothing to prevent certain communities
from euacng local ordinances If the state laws weTF
thought not to be strong enough after revision The main