The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-02
THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE
norm HOUSES CONSIDERING ANTI
PRiZE FIGHTING LAWS.
Various Pretexts May be Used to Kill the
Emergency Clause-Work stopped
ON the Ampitheatrc.

bers OF the Legislature who have been
called in extra session to pass an anti
! prize-hghting bill. have been arriving
slngly and In groups for the past twenty
four hours.
The sentiment OF both houses seems
strongly TO favor law making prize
fighting Illegal. but number of the rep
resentatives condemn the arbitrary fea-
ture OF the proposed law. which, in their
judgment, would work an injustice to IN
nocent persons, who nigh be ignorant or
the new statute for weeks after It's pas
sage. Little doubt Is expressed to-day
that the Senate will pass the bill with
reasonable promptness. but the result IN
the House IS fun OF uncertainty, as, un-
der the ruIes. a two-thirds vote OF tne
entire LEGISLATURE is necessary to pass
/ emergency bills.
Men who have followed legislative work
nt Austin for years are predicting to
dav that the session will be long and
/ protracted one. and that IL may lts'
/ until the first OF November, uhless Wv
/ friends OF the bill consent 10 ei.tnihd'e
/ the emergency clause. In which event
/ 81 will mass without material delay
y
,rasidinq officer of the Senate briefly
exniained the Governors purpose in call
inc the Legislature In special session
ue EXPRESSED the belief that the prompt
nees with which the senator's had re-
/ sponded was an indication that they
/ would pass the proposed antl-prize-hsh'
/ measure. 49,, ..
lie closed with the hope that the ses-
sion might be harmonious and briet'
the GovfRSoR's MESSAGE
The presence of a quorum being es'aD-
lished IN both houses. the Governor
message was thereupon laid before the
two bodies. .,.. =,
II was short. sharp, and decisive. IL
contained no uncertain sound as 10 MS
attitude concerning prize-hghting IN gen
] aral and the proposed contest petNeen
/ corbett and FitzsimmOns in particular
| The Governor reviewed the past Ies'S
/ Iatlon relating to prize-fighting, whlch
/ g,,ort ba characterized as brutal ana ne-
/ railing and denounced by every state
/ asa the Tnion He enumerated t"o
! states which have enacted laws ihaAi"s
prize fighting felony s ,bo
',.r,s+ountenanced by Mexico and the
| Territories. outlawed ana drlVeh !, o'a
every State. u is pro 'os.I ~ s,d offor
! horde al ruflans an gamblers anu t,, otn,l
/ Lcro thfe commanding Insult 10 p""tN
4encnc,, against the pride Of the people,
| and your prc mpt and resolute aclloh VI"
/ spare them the ignomlny; A., - ,eg,s-
/ THE first step I'm the direction OF ifkiS.
| istion fuimicai TO prize iightlng NaS '"e
! In tho Senate by Mr.. Lewis! OF sdh ~ ~
/ tonic who introduced bill that Is ui'
dersiO0d 10 reflect the views Vl wv ps,soo az,
/ rotnfstraiion II provides that any prison
/ Who engagcs I'm a pugillsuc encoun'cl
| betveon man and man. or nght ptt"'Nn
! "a man and any animal. upon W" ~I.s.l0 ~
! Of which money Is WhGeieh Si,~ii' ~ '.,tgtod
| ed guilty of felony, ana pe p -
! b,. fu,r~isonment I'm the penltentlary lvl
not less than two years. nor more ina"
| five years. 80, .,,, nuhIic
The bill further provides that PUPIL
/ rrorrietv demands that this law snal
! ,at5e enSsct and be In force from and aiter
IA similar bill was introduced in the
| House bv Mr. Ward of Travis. ,
| The Lewis and Ward nul5 lr,h'oh has
| 10 Judicial Committee No. 2, whlcn ia ua'
! E'rieiietion Of criminal as cOntradistin-
| guishcd from civil matters.
rnr ADMINISTRATION BILL.
The hearing which the Judiciary COM
/ mittoe of the two houses proposed giving
! today to tho opponents Of the bill was
postponed 10 tomorrow, owing to the
| inability Of the latter to be present
Tho situation i'm the Legislature may
| be changed tomorrow or 1hursuay py
! the presence of a dozen or more apseh-
tees VINO have been sent for. Had the
| ,.oto noon taken to-day for the admin
| istration bill il would have failed for the
| necessary two-thirds This is based -
| tho fact that - members Of the House
| we're in attendance at roll-call to-day. on
those fifteen have declared against inc
! measure and three are doubtful.
IL will be seen, therefore, that as the
| COMMUNICATION must have So votes to pass
an emergency bill. they are short to-day
about ten votes. In the senate the CON
! ditions were more favorable, inasmuch
AS "a members Of that body were pres
eut with every possibility that not NOR
| than three of the number would vote I'm
opposition.
Tbls would have passed the bill there
without a vote 10 spare.
There is no question that an over
| whelming majority of both houses IS
| favorable 10 "A bill prohibiting prize hghl-
| ing and making such sport n hecessaI 2,
"A felony. There Is. however. htils
coterie who believe that the bill should
not become a law until ninety DAYS aIter
the AL i0urnmeut and these claim 20 nave
strength enough 10 defeat the blll 10 the
| house with the emergency clause at
| tached.
VIII CUT IT SHORT.
The more influential members OF both
1 houses are tNAlDu- ~ I'NHll ~ t..i
| homes as speedily as possible. Win
this end I'm view an effort VIII De made
/ 10 bring the meaure To vote by Satuf-
| day afternoon next
The state treasury IS in no condition 10
stand IA extraordinary drain upon It's
resources and as each days sessions
involve am expenditure OF ~ 20, another
argument tn favor OF al early adjourn
/ ment Is found
Ex-Governor Barnett. the representative
| " tie Yfize-ighting interests, who, he
| claims. have spent large sums Of money
\ ia anticipation OF the fight, has a reply
to the Governors message to-day Wnlcn
| is 10 say the least, vigorous ana unique
| argument. Referring % the Governor 8
| charge that prize-fghting Is a brutal
| sport, Mr. Gibbs queries How much OF
the animal Is 10 be legislatcd out or man
III you take II all, Of course, he be-
comes thing not dangerous 10 either
| man or won an. But, on the other hanu
| he Is Of no account 10 himself or MS
| country. What Is left is M only FOR soap
grease.
''The Orentals studied for a thousand
| years 10 ind some effective mode OF eirni-
| mating the brute from man, and hndlly
| decided that the only way was 10 unsex
/ him.
THE IMTnGEsCY CLAUSE.
III Texas were fifty years without a
| law against glove contests, 1t might have
| survived a few months longer. An
emergency clause Will destroy the value
OF many investments made on the
| strength or license law passed by this
same LEGISLATURE. Thousands OF dollars
| or property Will be cOnfscated by the
| emergency clause. which belongs TO men
and women who have no sympathy with
the fight or with the club.
..rha message does not refer 10 any
| state IN the Union that called an extra
| ..--i.-. session 10 stnn gllYn Cnutcsi.