p. 14 | A Proposed Sunday Law for Oregon by W. F. MARTIN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 28, 1914

A Proposed Sunday Law for Oregon

By W. F. MARTIN

At the last three sessions of the Oregon Legislature there has been an organized effort on the part of certain church people to secure the enactment of a Sunday law. Each time, bills have been drawn and presented in either the senate or the house, and delegations of ministers and others who favored the passage of the bills have appeared and lobbied or spoken before the committees having them in charge. All this effort, however, has met with but little favor from the legislature, and each time the Sunday bill has been overwhelmingly defeated.

The advocates of Sunday legislation now signify their intention to secure their pet measure through the medium of the initiative, thus getting by that means what the legislature refused to grant them. Accordingly at a recent meeting of the Washington County Christian Endeavor, a Sunday bill was drafted and filed with the secretary of state. Friends of the measure are busy circulating petitions so as to place it on the ballot to be voted on at the fall election. The bill is very similar to the one presented at the last session of the legislature, which met such a signal defeat at the hands of that body, receiving only one vote in its favor. It is certainly time that lovers of liberty were bestirring themselves to maintain not only their own rights, but those of their fellow men. Following is a copy of the proposed law:—

“INITIATIVE LAW PROHIBITING CONDUCT OF BUSINESS AND GAINFUL AMUSEMENTS ON SUNDAY

“Amending Section 2125 Lord’s Oregon Laws

“Proposed by Washington County Christian Endeavor Union, Forest Grove, Oregon; Claude M. Hutchens, President, Forest Grove, Oregon; Annabe F. Taylor, Secretary, Forest Grove, Oregon.”

“A Bill for Initiative Law

“Prohibiting conduct of business and gainful amusements on Sunday, and amending Section 2125 Lord’s Oregon Laws.

“Be it enacted by the people of the State of Oregon,—

“SECTION 1. That Section 2125 of Lord’s Oregon Laws be and the same is hereby amended to read as follows:—

“SECTION 2125. If any person shall keep open any store, shop, grocery, bowling alley, billiard or pool room, or tipping house for the purpose of labor or traffic, or any theater or place of amusement; or shall conduct any amusement, game, or sport for the purpose of profit or gain, on the first day of the week, commonly called ‘Sunday’ or the ‘Lord’s Day,’ such person, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than five (5) dollars nor more than one hundred (100) dollars; provided, however, that the above provision shall not apply to the keepers of drug stores, doctor shops, undertakers, livery stable keepers, butchers, and bakers; and all circumstances of necessity and mercy may be pleaded in defense, which shall be treated as questions of fact for the jury to determine when the offense is tried by a jury.

“SEC. 2. All acts and parts of acts in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.”

W. F. MARTIN.