Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-02
ANTI PRIZE = FIGHT.
Texas Legislature Meets and Takes
First Step in This Direction.
THE GOVERNORS MESSA(
IL Is short, sharp, and Decisive
bills introduced In Both Houses
and Referred-Spcculati ns to
the Outcome.

/ DeIt OF tne IeglSittuIe, Wnitn HdS pSeh
called in extra session to pass an anti
| prize-hght bill, have been arriving singly
and In groups for the past twenty-four
! hours. The sentiment Of both houses seems
strongly to favor law making prize-fght-
! ing Illegal, but number Of the repre-
sentatives condemn the arbitrary feature
OF the proposed law. which. in their tudg-
ment. would work an injustice 10 innocent
persons who might be ignorant OF the
new statute for weeks after It's passage.
! Little doubt is expressed to-day that the
Senate Will pass the bill with reasonable
promptness. but the result in the House
/ is full Of uncertainty. as. under the rules,
a two-thirds vote Of the entire Legisla-
ture is necessary TO pass emergency bills.
| Me,A who have followed legislative work
at Austin for years are predicting to-day
that the session will be "A strong and pro-
| tracted one. and that it may last until
| the lst of November. unless the friends
Of the bill consent to eliminate the "emer-
gency" clause. in which event 1t will pass
| without material delay.
After the roll had been called the pre-
| siding officer OF the Senate briefly ex-
| planned the Governors purpose in calliyS
| the Legislature I'm special session. He ex
pressed the belief that the promptness
| with which the senators had responded
. was an indication that they would pass
the proposed anti-prize-fght measure. He
closed with the hope that the session
| might be harmonious and brief.
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
The presence Of quorum being estab
| lished in both houses, the Governors
message was thereupon laid before the
two bodies II was short. sharp. and de-
! cisive. 1t contained no uncertain sound
! as TO his attitude concerning prizeiighting
| in general and the proposed contest be-
| tween Corbett and Fitzsimmons in par
ticular. The Governor reviewed the past
| legislation relating TO prize fighting. which
! sport he characterized as brutal and de-
| moraliZlng. and denounced by every State
I in the Union. He enumerated the States
which have enacted laws making prize
fighting a felony, and urged that such
| laws should be operative from their pass
! age.
lie referred TO the opposition to the
! emergency bill" because of the large
| amount OF money involved by the mana
gers of the Florida Athletic Club. and
said that such opposition was characterls-
| tic Of such an exhibition.
1T rests" he continued. upon the au-
daciOus proposition that free people can
forfeit or have bargained away the right
| to preserve the public peace. the public
morals, and the public safety"
The message concluded in these words:
DUE WARNING GIVEN.
'If no law now exists. the State does not
give any assurance or come under any
obligation that is legal upon the subject.
But these principles need not be here
ed hy maj
have been given notice that this exhibit
tion would not be permitted, and what
ever has been done by its projectors was
with full responsibility for the COnse-
quences. The public interests require that
these exhibitions especially should be sup
pressed. Discountenanced by Mexico and
the Territories, outlawed and driven from
every State, It is proposed TO assemble
horde Of ruflians and gamblers. and
offer here this commanding insult 10
public decency. against the pride of the
people. Your prompt and resolute action
viii spare them the !gnomIny.
1t VIII 10 another thing. 1t Will re-
call to NE greatest city Of the State
inhabited by manly and generous and
enlightened people. the wholesome and
assuring truth, now obecured by anger
and misconception. and for which 1t will
hereafter thank you. that no part OF ts
material prosperity. 10 part of its social
and intellectual and Industrial progress.
no part of it's splendid destiny is bound
up in an endeavor to hold within its
limits one of the most d.sg~aceful orgies
ever permitted TO discredit and dishonOr
Texas
"Impe.led by a sense Of duty to exert
every Executive power to avert this ca
lamity. you have been called in special
session, and The responsibility for the
consequences is now divided with you.
That you Will meet IL as becomes the
representatives. of the whole people,
anxious ana ready 10 protect the fair
name Of the State, Is not Quilted"
FIRST STEP.
The first step in the direction Of legisla-
tion inimlcal to rr.z,-fghting was taken
in the Senate by Mr.. Lewis of San An
tonic. VII introduced a bill that Is under
stood to reflect the views OF the admins
trition. II provides that any person who
engages in a pugilistc encounter between
man and man. or fight between man
and any animal. upon the result Of which
money Is wagered, shall be deemed guilty
OF a felony, and be punished by imprIson-
ment in the pententLary for not less
than two years nor more than five years
The bill further provides that public pro-
priety demands that this law shall take
effect and be in force from and after its
passage.
A similar bill was introduced in the
House by Mr.. Ward. Of Travis.
The Lewis and Ward bills were referred
to Judiciary Committee No. 2, which has
jurisdiction OF criminal as contradistin-
guished from civil matters.
LEGISLATIVE PROBABILITIES.
The hearing which the Judiciary Com
mittee OF the two houses proposed giving
to-day to the opponents OF the bill was
POSTPONED till tomorrow, owing TO the
inability OF the latter TO be present. II
Is not improbable that all of Wednesday
may be devoted by the committee to the
hearing of objections TO the bill. and 1t is
hardly likely, therefore. that either COM
mittee viii report the bill back to its
respective house before Thursday, and.
possibly, not until Friday.
1t may also By amended in committee
In some minor particulars. without. how
ever, Affecting its real purpose. which Is
to make prize-fghting O felony, and per-
nit the law to 20 into effect Immediately
after IL shall have received the Cover
nor'S signature.
The situation in the Legislature may
be changed tomorrow or thursday Dy
the presence Of a dozen or more absentees.
who have been sent for. Had the vote
been taken to-day for the administration
bill IL would have failed OF the neces-
sary two thirds. This is based on the fact
that ninety-four members OF the House
we're In attendance at roll-call to-day. OF
,hese fifteen have declared against the
measure. and three are doubtful. II will be
seen. therefore. that as the administra-
lion must have eightyslx votes 10 pass
an emergency bill. they were short to-day