Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-19

all of the present trouble" said Senator
Mech. my bill in the last Legislature was
particularly intended for the relief of the
druggists from the prosecutions they were
then suffering. 1t passed the Senate by the
significant majority of 81 to 6, but did not
come up in the House until the closing
hours of the Legislature. Its turn on the
calender came in the early morning, after
an all-night session, when quite number
of members we're absent securing brlet
rest. This one feature alone prevented the
passage of the measure. 1t secured 102
votes, while only AZ, according to my
recollection, were cast in the negative.
Just 103 votes were required to enact law,
and while i was endeavoring to find
another liberal member to complete
the work the presiding officer brought
down the gavel and declared that
the bill had failed by not receiving the
necessary number of votes. 1t was then so
late in the session and everything was done
in such a rush that there was no opportu-
nity to again call up measure which had
once passed by. have not the slightest
doubt, however, that the next Legislature,
in view of the notorious abuses and con-
ceptions of the ancient statute, will prompt
" provide relief The only help had In
nv work from outside of the Legislature
was from Hon. r. S. Frazier, attorney of
the druggists, and Chairman Miller, of
their association.
Particularly Obnoxious Feature.
Hon. Emmett Cotton, in speaking of the
subject, said: "The special Sunday enact
ment for Allegheny county is particularly
obnoxious. ANY fair-minded person, what
ever his opinion may be as to the proper
method of Sunday observance, will agree
that the law should be uniform throughout
the State voted for the Neeb bill, which
only tailed BY reason of slim attendance
in the House. / believe firmly in the publi-
cation and distribution of the news and in
telligence of the day, in proper facilities for
TRANSPORTATION on all DAYS of the week, and
that drugstores, which must be kept open
for the necessary sale of medicines and fill
ing of prescriptions, should be allowed to
accommodate the public with soda water
and similar conveniences, which come very
near being necessities in these DAYS. Some
measures have been talked of and intro
duced in the Legislature of entirely too
broad character, but believe an over
whelming majority of the people favor a
reasonable modification.
Hon. David E. Weaver, the other South
side representative, has plain and decided
and worked for Senator Neeb's bill at the
last session and would favor something even
a little stronger and more general than that
measure, though being far from an advo-
cate OF a Western or European Sunday.
The bill introduced by Representative Fow,
OF Philadelphia, was entirely too broad
AT least it would not be opportune now.
1t would be bad policy TO attempt to go
from one extreme to the other at jump.
II Senator Neeb's measure had NOT come up
in the House so late in the session it would
certainly have gone through with hand
some majority"
Senator Flinn's Concise Statement.
"My position on the Blue Laws can be
concisely and clearly stated" said Senator
Finn. 81 am unreservedly in favor of
such necessities of modern times as the Sum-
day papers, and believe the druggists
should be allowed to dispense such refresh |
ments as soda water. 1 am not in favor of
open bars or theaters, or other similar |
features of the continental Sunday"
Hon. John Kearns. who has the distinc- |
tion of being the only Democratic member |
of the Legislature from Allegheny county, |
was found with his coat off hard at work in |
the iron mill where he is engaged Mr.. |
Kearns was the author of the bill for the |
third Common Pleas Court in Allegheny |
county. In conversation he said: 81 am
strongly in favor of the repeal of the Blue
Laws OF 1894, and have prepared the out
lines of a measure which will insure at least
modification of that ancient statute. The
fanatics and cranks should be taught to let
The papers and drugstores alone. Even the
projectors of the original law would hardly
the actions of these latter day
spies"
GtI ba1;a,-a arar,- ,,op,har IF +ba oo;.l.
ture reads the Sunday papers, said Hon.
NJ. Culbertson. ''If there had |
been the iaintest idea that they would be
attacked by the L. & o. agents measure to
have prevented such ridiculous and high
handed proceedings would have passed the
asst Legislature by practically unanimous
vote. 1t is extremely unjust, too, to have
i higher penalty in force in Allegheny
county than elsewhere in the State. The
aw should certainly be uniform at least.
Scarcely anybody, comparatively speaking,
S in favor of the Inauguration OF such a
Sunday as is prevalent in parts of the Old
W World and the only danger OF such a con-
ingency is caused by the actions or these
;o-called advocates OF law and order; but
arge majority of the people do desire such
egislation as will protect them from what
has degenerated into malicious persecu-
ion. ;"
L & o. Agents Might Attack Funerals.
"I read The DISPATCH seven DAYS a
week, and would not think of doing without
I" said Senator Upperman. "Just what
notifications should be made in the Blue
Laws l have not vet exactly determined. 1
I'm not sure but that, under the act OF 1894,
ny own livery business could be obstructed,
II even Sunday funerals interfered with"
Hon. NJ. B. Lemon expressed his views
IS follows: 81 voted and worked hard for
Neeb's bill, and will do it again for any
Measure of that kind. am practically in
avor of something to prevent the spies
rom making money out of their business as
ntormers The dollar is what they are
Ifter.'
The officials who have charge of the regu-
alton and welfare of Pittsburg do not feel
he need of the Blue Laws or the L. & O.
gents to assist them in their work. Mayor
Iourley says: 81 am in favor of liberal
Christian Sunday, not like that of conti-
lental Europe, but in consonance with mod
I'm times and civilization"
Chief Brown is even more decided in his
opinions He favors the practical repeal of
he century-old statute, and believes that
our-fifths of the people, in the centers of
population at least, hold similar views.
This is the verdict of practically all the
'ther Pittsburgers whose official or business
lfe Is such as to bring them in contact with
he general public, and in a position to
udge of the drift of sentiment.