p. 6 | Washington, D. C by J. S. Washburn

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Mar 24, 1904

Washington, D. C.

By J. S. Washburn

For years determined efforts have been made to secure the passage of a Sunday law for the District of Columbia. Up to the present time these efforts have all failed.

But I was startled on March 14, to discover that the following bill had been favorably recommended by the commissioners of the District of Columbia:—

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 4, 1904

Mr. Wadsworth introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia and ordered to be printed.

A Bill

Requiring certain places of business in the District of Columbia to be closed on Sunday.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be unlawful for any person in the District of Columbia to sell or to offer for sale, or to keep open any place of business for the sale or delivery of, any groceries or fruits or meats or vegetables or other provisions on Sunday, except that from the first day of June until the first day of October meats sold prior to Sunday may be delivered at any time before ten o'clock of the morning of that day. Any person who shall violate the provisions of this act shall, on conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than fifty dollars for the first offense, and for each subsequent offense by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the jail of the District of Columbia for a period of not less than one month nor more than three months, or by both fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 2.—That all prosecutions for violations of this act shall be in the police court of the District of Columbia and in the name of the District of Columbia.

You will note that this bill was introduced on February 4. On February 8, a hearing was held before the commissioners of the District of Columbia. There seems to have been a plan to keep from those who would oppose this measure all knowledge of the hearing; at least not one of those who usually oppose Sunday legislation was present, and those who were urging the measure seem to have been successful, more so than for many years.

The bill must now come before the District Committee of the House of Representatives, and if recommended by them, before Congress.

We shall certainly ask for a hearing before the District Committee, and we trust the bill may yet fail of becoming a law. But a favorable recommendation from the Commissioners of the District of Columbia has great influence with

Congress in all matters pertaining to legislation for the District of Columbia. The District Commissioners are the executive authority for the District. The laws are all made by Congress direct.

If any measure becomes a law in the District, the residents can not vote it down. No one can vote in the District of Columbia.

This is an ideal place for the National Reformers to begin their work. The people of the District can not make or change the law; and Sunday legislation for the District of Columbia will be used as a precedent for Sunday legislation for the whole country. If the principle of a Sunday law, or religious legislation, is right for the District of Columbia, it is right for the whole United States.

I am certain that while so many of the States have oppressive Sunday laws, God has kept this little territory, the very heart of the United States, free, as a home for his work.

Here the conflict centers, and thank the Lord, he has brought to this place the very heart of his work, the headquarters of the General Conference organization, to meet the issue.

It is well that this city is not a great, crowded business center, like New York, Chicago, London, or Paris. In the providence of God this city is, compared with those cities, a small place, having only about three hundred thousand inhabitants. It is the capital. It is that only. No great business interests overtop and hide the work of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the great government departments.

The “Mill on the Hill,” as the Capitol is sometimes called, with its departmental branches in other parts of the city, constitutes practically the only business.

A very large proportion of the people are directly connected with the government. Here congressmen and senators and judges may be met any day as common citizens of the capital city. Many of these ride on the street-cars or walk on the streets with the most humble resident of the city.

Here these men that lead the whole nation, and also ambassadors of all the great nations of the world, may be more easily reached than anywhere else in the world. And it is surprising how free and common many of these leading people become in Washington. Some of these people have already attended our meetings, and will attend them more in the future.

If the capital was a large city, like those named above, it would take ten times the amount of money to accomplish (as far as reaching the men who lead the nation) what can be accomplished by a reasonable amount in Washington.

We are well and favorably known here. The clerk of the District Committee of the House of Representatives, in a recent visit, said that several years ago a Sunday law was proposed for the District, and at a hearing before the District committee the Adventists opposed the measure, and it failed.

He did not know at the time when he told me this, that I was an Adventist. He himself was opposed to Sunday legislation, and seemed to regard the Adventists with deep respect.

Our credit is good in Washington. Many who are not Adventists regard the wonderful way in which money has been sent to help the church as nothing short of a miracle. A member of the board of trustees of the Central Methodist Protestant Church, from whom the church was bought, said to me recently, speaking of this matter, ‘Surely the Lord is with you.’

The people are looking with perfect confidence to see our institutions built here quickly and free from debt. Surely they will not be disappointed. Those who read this article will decide the question favorably or unfavorably. The General Conference can do nothing without the people.

To establish our institutions here on a sound basis will preach religious liberty to the nation and the world as can be done in no other way.

The raising of one hundred thousand dollars quickly will advance the work here, and thus through all the world, as no preaching, no literature, no theorizing, can possibly do. We still wait for some one to start the list with a donation of one thousand dollars.

May the Spirit of the Giver of every good and perfect gift impress the situation, the crisis, upon every reader. Send all gifts to W. T. Bland, 222 North Capitol St., Washington, D. C.

J. S. WASHBURN.