California Sunday Law

California Sunday Law.

"For many years Sections 299, 300 and 301 of the Penal Code, commonly called the "Sunday Law," have been on our statute books. Under slightly varying forms this law has been in existence in this State during the major portion of the past quarter of a century. Now and then spasmodic efforts have been made to enforce it, but without success. In every contest before the courts the condition of public opinion has been shown by the fact that the law has been practically placed on trial, and not the particular defendant at the bar. In cases where the testimony adduced has been conclusive that the alleged offense has been committed juries have almost uniformly refused to convict—a state of facts never before observed with reference to any other portion of our criminal jurisprudence. Such is the condition of the sections above cited. It is unwise to cumber the statute books with an enactment which experience has proven cannot be enforced. The result at the late election, by an emphatic indorsement of the attitude of the now dominant party on this important subject, makes our duty in the premises perfectly clear. We all concede that those sections of our codes which provide for certain holidays and non-judicial days are essential to happiness and health. The repeal of the Sunday Law will in nowise interfere with the permanency or effect of our civil legislation in the matter of a day of rest, nor is there any disposition to disturb those penal enactments which are intended to protect religious assemblages from all unseemly interference."