Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1924-02-01

Because Of the agitation Of the daily
papers 10 Baltimore to legalize Sunday
Motion Pictures. we object 10 the pro.
posed measure to throw open the Nov
ing Picture Theatres In Baltimore City
as mercenary move 10 commercialize
the Lords Day.
II il succeeds the Sabbath must be
surrendered, step by step, to one mer-
camille interest after another. The re-
suit must belhe destruction OF all legal
protection of this day OF sauctity and
repose and Its complete secularization.
The Sabbath has been established
and maintained rs ono OF the civil,
moral and religious institutions of this
State from Its foundation to this time.
Every generation Of the people OF
Maryland have regarded and preserved
it as a foundation and mainstay Of
their laws and as a powerful support
OF the welfare of the State, for" as
Mr.. Justice Blackstone In his Com
mentaries says, "besides the notorious
indecency and scandal of permitting
any secular business TO be transacted
on that day in country protesting
Christianity, and the correction OF
morals which usually follows in pro-
fanation, the keeping one day in seven
holy. as time OF relaxation and re-
freshment, as we'll as for public wor-
ship, is of admirable service to the
State, considered merely as a civil in
stitution. 1t humanizes the manners
OF the lower classes; it enables the in
dustrious Workman TO pursue his occu
patton in the ensuing week with health
and cheerfulness; II imprints on the
minds of people that sense Of their du-
ty to God so necessary to make good
citizens, but which yet would be worn
out and defaced by an unremittlng con-
sinuance of labor, without any stated
Time Of recalling them to the worship
OF their Maker
Not only is this consecrated day of
The profoundest political Importance to
he state of Maryland, but Il is vitality
necessary to the health, safety, mater
ial and spiritual we'll being OF the peo-
pie. 4
If the moving picture theatres are
permitted to be run on Sundays, il will
be utterly impossible to deny the same
TO ali other theatres. and when |
that is accomplished, under the claim OF
atfording amusements to the people on |
Sunday, every person who desires a |
different form OF amusement than that
furnished by the moving pictures and |
the regular theatres viii demand that |
the amusement of his choice be con-
coded TO him. Whilst many will pre- |
fer the pictures and many others the |
regular theatres, others will insist up
on professional baseball contests.
Others still will demand to see exhibi- |
tions of the manly art of self-defense.
still others will want the open dancing
halls; others the billiard parlors;
others the bowling allies; others mus
ical concerts, vocal and Instrumental,
good, bad and indifferent; others
and others business or
political meetings and conventions.
Andthe business promoters of all these
will claim and secure the
same right to ex plot the Sunday which
the proprietors of moving picture the
aires have. When the Sabbath shall
nave thus lost its repose and sanctity
and have been thus profaned, 10 will be
IN easy matter for every other form OF
commercial interest and enterprise to
AXE possession of the day with their
'tores, shops and trades in full blast
Ind operation.
Once the step here proposed Is per-
nitted to be taken, there can be no end
o the encroachment upon the peace
ind sacredness OF the Sabbath. Its
must follow as certain as
light the day.
Within the City of Baltimore are
bout seven tenths of the population
II Maryland. II the Lords Day. be
Utterly commercialized and abandoned
here, it will be impossible to preserve
t in the remaining parts of the State.
As we'll after leaping over Niagara try
o stop half way down as attempt TO
ave this civil and religious Institution
o the people of Maryland outside Of
Baltimore City after it has been lost
within it.
We, therefore, earnestly appeal to
he great body of the people of Mary Ii
and TO make known in the most GER
ain and emphatic manner that the
4ord's Day as an indispensable insti-
ution of government and religion,
and equally precious to
he civic material and spiritual welfare
If all, shall not be destroyed in this
Jity and State. II
JOHN P. BURDETTE, II
THoS. T. Rowe,
HARRY G. REES,
WILLIAM l.. REES, III
JESSE L. ROWE,
H. @. BURR,
and over 100 others. III