Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-11-26
Blue Laws Threaten Again.

wav 20 rc-estahlsh the .old time puritan
Sunday for the entire country arc
likely to meet with much opposition and
eventual defeat, as they should. To at
tempt 10 turn the world back to those
times Of '1ong faces and indigestion rs
they have been described, would be folly
Of the worst sort, and the proposition
should not be seriously considered. 1he
application of the old "Blue Laws,
would. indeed, make this country land
of gloom one day out Of every seven, ana
the people would not rest under such re-
straint that won deprive them of their
freedom and liberty on their ono day OF
relaxation and rest.
Who would submit TO the cessation oi
all railroad trains on the Sabbath, or
who would not protes, agninst the pro-
hihition of the milkman going his regular
rounds? Who would go without his fav-
orite newspaper simply because 1T is ISSUED
on Sunday
The Sabbath observers can well operate
against such infractiops OF the law as
disturb the sanctity OF the day or that
create disorder, but they will have scant
support of their propagation, as reported
if they attempt to display the teeth OF the
old "Blie Law" Whatever may have
b en- the necessity for such law IN the
earlier times. il cannot exist at this tune,
and does not. and it would be worse than
r = II ~ into CyDafatlOn
Even the thought of it's restrictions fills
ne with gloom and melancholy. lt can
not be contemplated other than with
UNPLEASANT forebodings of the 'bne
SUNDAYS ahead under its provisions
What of the masses Of the people under
these suppressing laws What VIII they
b, permitted to do on Sunday, presunlmg
they do not find church interesting or
attend until they may find It has no mes
sage for the grca, majority Of them
Suppose they 20 and find the services
irksone? Under those conditions they
would neither rest nor worship. II we
could compel our people TO SO to church
and drink in the lessons from the pulpit
If we could compel them 10 become inns
tians-it might be worth while 10 drive
them 70 church on the Lords Day But
can we2
III the Blue Laws" will make Christians
ont of all people, or Of half or even
quarter of them, they might be applied
without protest, bu il is not recorded
that sending men and women to church
has ever brought them nearer e the throne
of grace. Or made better citizens q them.
No one objects 10 the Sunday ooser-
vance opponents interesting themselves
"a keen the DAYS diversions and donps
within proper bounds and limits, ana
There would he lots of work they could
40 in that direction without making the
dav overcast for the mcst Of mankind.
There never have been such great op-
portunities for Christ ars taking part u
tho unfit cf sthe administration q the
cities and counties With ltu extra
effort they might readily end the iileglti-
mate sale oi Intoxicating liquor, a WORK
Of almost transccndcntal importance.
+ They could 20 further towards Vi'e 50
+ luton Of the social evil problem than they
z have gone thus far, and here IS opportunity
+ for world Of good The lmmodest dress
( cf the day, the really salarious dance, the
dcmoralizing flm, the prohteer and the
4 gougcr. all would succumb 10 the united
! protests Of the Christian ministers and
Their congregations, and everybody VII
admit the field for usefulness IN those
I directions infinite and endless.
II we nut IN end to the most tlagrant
/ of the abuses that beset and bes1t clIy'
the smaller ones Will yield eventually N
the usual adjustment Of such things, and
we shall find the work Of reformation much
more fruitful If directed to things that
need purifying