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Show Communications , i il Fdltor Tribune A bill has been introduced in-troduced In the legislature to amend suction suc-tion 4233 of tho Compiled Laws or Utah so an to prohibit, on Sunday, bicycle, motorcycle and automobile races, roller skating rinks, ball games, picture shows, theatricals and operatic, performances. Should this amendment bo adopted, the citizen who works hard every weck-d&y and has Utile opportunity for recreation will not bo permitted to witness a baseball base-ball game, or a bluyolo race, or a picture show, or any theatrical isxhlbilion, no matter how Innocent and Instructive, on Sunday, without bocoming an offender against tho law. About the onlv tiling that will bo l.'fl for him to do will be to go to church or to Saltalr. As he will not ho in a very reverent or prayerful mood as a result of thus having his personal per-sonal liberty curtailed, ho will probably prefer the pleasure resort to the eanotu- nry. If this proposed legislation bo based upon tho fourth commandment, II is erroneous. er-roneous. That commandment says thai no work shall be done on tho Sabbath. II. does not Hay that man shall not play or amuse himself on that day. Now, seeing see-ing a baseball gamo or a moving-picture shuw on Sunday is not work. On th contrary. such exhibitions give pleasant and wholesome recreation. Surely It Is not meant by rest that one must go to church or remain at home all Sunday, asleep or SuactUc. Agreeable diversion of the mind from the cares nnd perplexities perplexi-ties of thy weck-daya is Just the kind of rest that thy people need. Tho Ruler of the universe never rcius In the eciiho that he Is inactive. CesKatlou from cvory-day labor In desirable; but tho principal object of this proposed measuro appears to bo to forbid play or any sort of pleasure, rather tlian inhibit- work. If it shall becomo operatlvn, the street car man, tho employoes of hotels and rcstauranlp, tho telegraph operator, the policeman and many others will still have to be on their Jobs on Sunday at work, In violation of tho commandment. However, How-ever, tho fortunate man with an automobile automo-bile may exhilarate himself with joyriding joy-riding In the summer sunshine: thy lucky man with a flno span of trotting horses may display them along the boulevard on Sunday, thus compelling hln helpless animals to labor; tho pcoplo may gather in tho park and listen to tho music of a band of working musicians: the miniature minia-ture railway may still operate for the joy of the children; tho peanut, popcorn and ice-cream venders may still dispense their wares, and tho merry-go-round, with Its entrancing strains of melody, may still enrapture the Juvenile heart. But. woe unto you baseball fanst workers work-ers of Inquity, who make the Sabbath noisy with your shoutings and rootlngs! Ton will havo to depart into the synagogues, syna-gogues, forget tho sinful allurement of tho diamond, and repent in sackcloth and ashes. Better for you that you had never aeon the great American game, Seriously, now, are wo not gointr a little too far in our legislation? Men cannot be forced into tho sanctuary by statutes. Religion, virtue or morality cannot bo engendered In tho human heart by acts of the legislature. Besides, such legislation as that proposed Is unfair, un-fair, because it permits things that are worse than the things it prohibits. If gamen or entertainments arc Innocent In themselves, why should they be forbidden forbid-den on Sunday? Tf there bo anything improper about them, why should thoy bo permitted on any day? Instead of prohibiting innocent amusements on Sunday, would It not bo wiser to provide pro-vide for a. board of censors so as to pro-vent pro-vent objectionable exhibitions on any day? JAMES W. M KINNEY. Feb, 6. 101?.. |