The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-10-02
TEXAS LEGISLATORS
Considering a Law to Make Prize
Fighting Felony.
BOTH SIDES WAITING FOR VOTES.
Ehe Administration Forces Thus Far Un-
able TO Secure Vote. Enough to freveot
'she bett-FitzsimmoDs sMIii-Govsrnor
Cnlbsrson's Caustio Proclamation.

tno
CnIberson's CauAtlo Proclamation.
AUSTIN, Tex, Oct 9.-In compliance
with the proclamation of Governor Culbcr-
son convening the legislature to take aotinn
ON the prize fight question, which has
been ngitatcd by the proposed Corbctt'
Fibzsimmons mill at Dallas, Oct 81, a
quorum OF both houses responded to roll
call yesterday ut noon and were in work
ing shape within thirty minutes, and at
1880 o'clock promptly received n message
from Governor Culborson. The governor
confined himself solely to the prizc fight
question, and reviewed at length the situa-
tion which has made the calling Of tho
Legislature necessary. His message, after
. careful review Of the condition Of tho
laws In other states, concludes as follows:
"By proclamation all persons have been
given notice that this exhibition would
NOT be permitted, and whatever has been
done by It's projectors was with full rs
sponsibility for the consequences. The
public interests require that this exhibit
fion, especially, should be suppressed
Discountenanoed by Mexico and the terri
tories, outlawed and driven from every
state, 1t is proposed to assemble q horde
Of ruf1ians and gamblers and offer here
this commanding insult to public deceRcy.
Against 1t the instincts and pride Of the
people revolt, and yout prompt and reso-
lutte action will spGre them the ignominy
and the shame. r
"It will do another thing. 1t will recall
20 the great city of this state, inhabited
BY q manly and generous and enlightened
people, the wholesome and assurlngtruth
now obscured by anger and misconccp-
tion, for which 1t will hereafter thank
you, that no part OF Its material prosper
ity, no part of Its social and intellectual
and industrial progress no part OF Its
splendid destiny is bound up In an en-
deavor to hold within its limits one OF the
most disgraeeful orgies that ever promised
b disoredit and dishonor Texas.
'Impelled by sense of duty to exert
every executive power TO divert this calarn-
My, you have boan callod In special session,
and the responsibility for the consequences
n now divided with you. That you will
meet 1t as becomes the representatives OF
the whole people, anxious and ready to
protect the fair name of the state, Ia not
doubted"
As soon as the message was read, In
compliance with its command, two bills
were introduced In both houses.
The bills ARE Identical. The one intro
dnced In the senate by Senator Lewis, Of
Ecker, and the one in the house by Repro-
sentative Ward, Of Travis, are generally
sonoeded to be tho measures Of tho admin
fstration. They provide that any person
engaging In prize fighting or any pugilis-
10 encounter shall be deemed guilty Of
ks1ony, and inll be punished by an i'm
prisonment of not less than one nor mora
Khan two years. This bill, of course, has
Ehe emergency clause. The other bill, in-
kroduced In the senate by Senator Simp-
son, provides q penalty of not less than
kfye nor more than ten years, and further
EEovfdes that nny one who in any manner
aids or abets fight will be considered e
paxticipant, and subject to the above
haxned punishment. The emergency
eiause Ii also in this bill.
! These bills were referred to the judic-
taTy committee in either house, and they
ixyare to take action thereon yesterday
afternoon. Tho Dallas attorneys appeared
bsfore them, however,, to ask for further
kimo, claiming that they could show, that
fho proposed law was unconstitutional
pnd class legislation, as well AS conflsca-
kory. In compliance with their request
both committees adjourned until today,
and nothing further was done by either
house in the matter.
u As the matter now stands 1t Is "a political
tow between tho friends of Governor Cul-
bsrson and his present opponents, of which
10 has quite NUMBER In tho legislature.
There arc ninety four members of tho
house present and twenty-four senators.
In the house 1t is necessary to get eighty
six votes to make the law go into immcdi-
kte effect, and twenty-one votes are neces-
Rary in the senate. In the house, at tho
present tina, there are fifteen out AMI out
fnen against putting an emergency cause
In the bill, while there aro four who arc
doubtful. This puts the two-thirds vote
cot of the question in the house with the
present roster. In tho senate there are
fhreo against the emergency clause and
swo doubtful, which places the bill in Sc
k1ous danger there also.
II vote was takon now, with only the
present number present, thcre is little
aoubt that the emergency clause would be
nsfeated. The administration forces do
not propose to come to a vote on the mat
ksf, however, until more of their men ar
rive, and these absentees are expected by
his evening at the latest. The Dallas poo
pie also want a delay to gather additional
Eofces, SO everybody Is pleased to delay the
game at present. Lobbying is being in
tulged in right and left
May Fight in Mexico.