The Delta independent., 1921-03-11
VIEWS OF LOCAL PEOPLE
CONCERNING SUNDAY LAWS
To the, Editor:

To the, Editor:
According to the avowed purpose of
number of prominent organizations
in the United States, there is to be
wholesale enforcement and enact
ment of laws respecting the obser.
vance of Sunday. This is to be &C.
complished by cooperation and COM
bination of the several interested
parties, and by way of agitation and
political pressure.
| The program is scheduled for the
coming year 1921. Already all but
two of the states of this country have
Sunday laws on the statute books.
The two states holding out against
this form of legislation are Califor-
mia and Oregon. Against these two
states the combination will particu-
larly operate, yet the reformers in
our own midst are working hand in
hand to get more drastic laws for the
state and ultimately nationwide
law.
| This plan will also include the Dis
trict of Columbia where no Sunday
law exists. AS one report reads, "a
bill has been prepared for submis-
sion to Congress for strict Sunday
observance in the District of Colum-
bia, and particular attention will be
given to California and Oregon, where
DIR. Bowlby declared, there are few
laws governing Sunday activities. In
other states efforts will be made to
strengthen existing laws
The purpose of the bill to secure
strict Sunday law for the District
of Columbia is stated. thus: "The
District of Columbia Sunday bill is but
an entering wedge for the adoption
of Federal Constitutional amend
ment enforcing nationwide Sabbath
observance"
The foregoing facts, as reported by
the press everywhere. show clearly
that the attempt will be made this
year to legislate Sunday observance
into the fundamental law of the land
the Constitution of the United
States.
According to the reports which we
have before us, there have been a
number of demonstrations against the
"blue Sunday" as it is called Also
articles have been written in opposi-
I ton to it.
1t seems fitting that strong effort
should be made against this invasion
of the principles OF liberty so long
enjoyed by the government and its
people. 1t is well that we enter into
public protest as early as possible
against this thing. We therefore wish
to express our hearty disapproval of
the proposed measures looking to-
ward the establishment of Sunday
keeping by law.
The thing is wrong in principle. It
places one class of religionists in an
oppressive legal standing above all
other classes-religious and non-rs-
ligious. This arrangement always re-
suits in persecution: and we have
the awful history of the Ozark Ages"
as an example Of this tyranny.
The proposed amendment to the
Constitution is contrary to all the
guarantees OF American liberty and
the very Constitution itself, which
says:
; Congress shall make no law re-
kspecting an establishment OF religion
Or prohibiting the free exercise there
Of" Sunday is an establishment of
religion. Any Sunday law, therefore,
anywhere in the United States is un-
constitional.
A national law of this nature can
not be made without changing our
! national Constitution-and do we
wish to do that?
Recognizing the principles involved,
the trainers Of our State Bill of Rights
incorporated this statement in Article
; 1, Section 4: "The free exercise and
enjoyment of religious profession and
worship, without discrimination or
preference shall forever be guaran-
teed in this state"
1t so happens that in this state
there are several thousand people who
hold diverse views regarding the day
of rest and 1t would be discrimina-
tion against them in favor Of another
class. should California submit to the
imposition of Sunday law.
Believing that Sunday laws are re-
ligious legislation. therefore absolute
ly wrong. we, the undersigned, desire
to register our serious protest against
any such legislation.
H. b. MEEKER
HENRY ADAMS