The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-02
TEXAS AND THE SLUGGERS.
THE LEGISLATURE BEGINS ITS
SPECIAL SESSION.

Rther DOubtfuI-The Governor APP
peaIs 10 the Honor of Texans, and
Tells Them That Monetary Con-
sideratiOns should Cut No Figure.
Austin, Tex, Oct. 1.-The members of
the legislature who have been called in
special session TO pass an anti-prize fight
ing 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 fight
ing illegal, but a number of the repre-
sentatives condemn the arbitrary feature
of the proposed law which, in their judg-
ment, would work an injustice to innocent
persons who might be ignorant of the new
statute for weeks after its passage. The
opinion is expressed to-day that the Sem
ate Will pass the bill with reasonable
promptness, but the result in. the House
is full of uncertainty, as under the rules,
two-thirds vote of the entire body is
necessary to pass emergency bills. Men
who have followed legislative work at
Austin for years are predicting to-day that
the session will be both a stormy and
protracted one, and that it may last until
Nov. 1, unless the friends of the bill con-
sent to eliminate the emergency" clause,
in which event it will pass without ma
| terial delay
siding officer of the Senate briefly ex-
planned the governors purpose in calling
| the legislature in special session. He ex-
pressed the belief that the promptneas
with which the senators had responded
was an indication that they would pass
the proposed anti-prize fight measure. He
might be harmonious and brief
The presence of a quorum being estab-
nsned, IN both houses, the governors
message was thereupon laid before the
Two bodies. 1t was short, sharp and de-
cisive. 1t contained no uncertain sound
as to his attitude concerning prize fights
IN general and the proposed contest be-
/ tween Corbett and Fitzsimmons in partic-
ular. The governor reviewed the past
| legislation relating to prize fighting, which
sport ne characterized as brutal and de-
moralizing, and denounced by every state
IN the union. He enumerated the states
which have made laws making prize fight
ing Q felony, and urged that such laws
should be operative from their passage.
lie referred to the opposition to the
"emergency'' bill. because of the large
amount Of money involved by the man
ayers of the Florida Athletic Club, and
said that sueh opposition was character
istic OF such an exhibition.
1t rests" he continued, upon the au-
| daeious proposition that free people can
/ forfeit or have bargained away the right
/ TO preserve the public peace, the public
morals and the public safety"
Ihe message concluded in these words:
II no law now exists the state does not
| give assurance or come under any oblga-
! ton that is legal upon the subject, but
| theSe principles need not be here invoked
| by proclamation, all persons have been
| given notice that this exhibition would
| not be permitted and whatever has been
done by its projectors was with full res
possibility for the consequences. The pub
| lie interests require that the exhibition
especially should be suppressed. Discount
tenanced by Mexico and the territories
outlawed and driven from every state 1t
proposed to assemble a horde of rdffians
and gamblers and offer here this COM
manding insult to public decency, against
the pride Of the people, and your prompt
and resolute action will spare them the
ignominy 1t will do another thing. IT
VIII recall to the great city of the state,
inhabited by manly and generous and
enlightened people, the wholesome and
assuring truth now obscured by anger and
ineonception, for which it will hereafter
thank you, that no part Of its material
prosperity, no part Of its social and intel
lectual and Industrial progress, no part of
its splendid destiny is bound up in an en-
deaYor TO hold within it's limits one of the
most disgraceful orgies ever permitted to
discredit and dishonor Texas. Impelled
by \ sense of duty to exert every exec
utiVe power to avert this calamity, you
have been called in special session, and
the responsibility for the consequences is
now divided with you That you will meet
ii as becomes the representatives of the
whole people, anxious and ready to pro-
tect the fair name OF the state. is not
doubted"
The first step in the direction of legis-
lation inimical to prize fighting was taken
in the Senate by Mr. Lewis of San Anto-
MO, who introduced a bill that is under
stood to reflect the views Of the admins-
tration. 1t provides that any person who
engages in a pugilistic encounter between
man and man, or a fight between a man
and any animal, upon the result of which
money is waged, shall be deemed guilty
of a felony and be punished by imprison-
ment in the penitentiary for not less than
two years nor more than five years. The
ft4af
demands that this law shall take effect
and be in force from and after its passage
similar bill was introduced in the
House by Mr.. Ward of Travis county
The Lewis and Ward bills were referred
70 judiciary committee No. 2 which has
jurisdiction of criminal as contra-distin-
guished from civil matters.
The hearing which the judiciary COM
mittee of the two houses had proposed
giving to-day to the opponents of the bill
was postponed to tomorrow owing to the
inability of the latter to be present. 1t is
not improbable that all Of Wednesday may
be devoted by the committee to the hear
ing of the objections to the bill, and it is
hardly likely, therefore, that either COM
mittee will report the bill back to its res
pective house before Thursday, and pos
sibly not until Friday. 1t may also be
amended in committee in some minor par
ticulars, without, however, affecting its
real purpose, which is to make prize fight
ing a felony and permit the law to go into
effect Immediately after it shall have re-
ceived the governors signature.
The situation IN the legislature may be
changed tomorrow or Thursday by the
presence of a dozen or more absentees
who have been sent for, but had a vote
been taken to-day on the administration
bill it would have failed Of the two-thirds
necessary to make it become operative.
This statement is based on the fact that
but ninety-four members of the House
were in attendance at roll call to-day. OF
these fifteen have declared against the
measure and three are doubtful. 1t will
be seen, therefore, that as the admins
tration must have eighty-six votes to
pass an emergency bill they are short to-
day about ten votes.
In the Senate the conditions were more
favorable, inasmuch as twenty-fOur men,
bers of that body were present with every
possibility that not more than three Of the
number would vote in opposition. This
would have passed the bill there without
a vote to spare.
When the house adjourned there were
"a absentees, including half dozen men,
bers who have resigned, or been appoint
ed to other offices since the last session.
Nearly all the remainder are claimed by
the administration men as favorable TO
the emergency bill. If this be true ana
their presence can be secured, the meas
ure viii be pasesd.