Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-03-16

hope of survival when the battle is
joined.
All of this is good, but perhaps only
part applicable to the text.
I have had numerous complaints in
regard to Sunday dissertations from all
parts of the County. These desecra-
lions consist, according to my in
formants, Of the sale of groceries,
clothing, the running of moving pic
ture shows, etc. If anyone will make
a complaint to a local justice OF the
peace in regard to these violations
of the old Blue Laws" which still re-
main on the Statute Books OF Wis
consin, will take the matter up and
prosecute to the best OF my AFFINITY.
/ must. insist, however, that the sheriff
and myself are too busy with I'M
portant matters to give our personal
attention to these cases until local
action is taken.
We have no force of plain-clothes
men who can detect a grocer selling
half dozen oranges on Sunday
morning, and the sheriff and myself
cannot be in all places at all times.
My own opinion is that Grant County
is a pretty decent county, and that
there is comparatively little violation
of law. The Lord said that the Sab
bath was made for man, not man
for the Sabbath, but we have Section
1896 on the Statute Books which IS
as follows:
ANY person who shall keep open
his shop, warehouse, or workhouse, or
shall do any manner of labor, bust
ness or work except only works of
necessity or charity, or be present
at any dancing or public diversion,
show or entertainment, or take part
in any sport, game, or play on the
first day of the week shall be punished
by fine not exceeding ten dollars; and
such day shall be understood to in
clude the time between the midnight
preceding and the midnight following
the said day, and no civil process
shall be served or executed on said
day Provided, however, that keeping
open a barber shop on Sunday for
shaving boards shall not be deemed
a work of necessity or charity"
Under this section and the following
sections, the work of barber shops
is not a work of necessity or charity;
the keeping open of a store or shop
for the sale of general merchandise,
Coffees, teas, spices, etc, is not
necessity; grocers and meat markets
selling on Sunday are not doing a
work OF necessity or charity; the
running of railroad trains, street cars,
etc, is a work of necessity; but my
best opinion is that the use of auto
mobiles for purposes of pleasure or
conveyance is not within the exception
of the Statute; it is perfectly certain
that the Movies" are not works of
charity or necessity and that all who
attend as we'll as those who run them,
are guilty of violation of the Statute.
1t is certain that the sale OF gaso-
line and auto supplies on Sunday is
a violation of the act, unless it be
an emergency case; that the sale of
cigars at cigar stands, and of con-
fectionery in restaurants is illegal.
very much doubt if Sunday news
papers need be delivered before Mon
day morning; and | gravely question
whether man is legally entitled to
kiss his wife before 1901 Monday
morning.
A ducking stool was stool or chair
in which common scolds We're former
ly tied and plunged into the water 1t
was extensively used in England from
the fifteenth century down to the
beginning OF the eighteenth century
and was fairly well known in this
country. In England, its latest use
is said to have been in 1909. | am
tempted to submit bill to our legis-
lature reviving that ancient and eff
fective custom.
Geo b. Clementson,
District Attorney for Grant County
Wisconsin.