The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-10-05
TEXAS LAW MAKERS
Fight Managers Hope to Block
Legislation in the House.
POLITICAL FRACAS HMM INEN
The Lobbyists Arc Busy. the Dallas
People Leaving No stone
Unturncd.

Austin, Tex, Oct. 1.-The legislature
met at noon with a quorum present.
The governor in his message reviews
the laws against prize fighting in Tex
as, calling attention to the errors there
in, and closes by saying:
"All persons have been given notice
that the observation-disclosures exhibit
ton would not be permitted; that what
ever has been done by its projectors
was with full responsibility of the con-
sequences. The public interests le-
quire that this exhibition especially
should be suppressed. Discountenanced
by Mexico and the territories, outlawed
and driven from every state, it is pro-
posed to assemble a herd of ruffians
and gamblers and offer this state this
commanding insult to public decency.
Against it the instincts and the pride
of the people revolt, and your prompt
and resolute action will spare them this
ignOmy and shame"
He recommends a law making u re
fighting without gloves a felony.
There is a strong lobby here from
Dallas and the leaders of it claim they
have votes enough i'm the house to de-
feat the emergency clause. There are
only three senators opposed to the
emergency clause.
The two bills introduced in both
houses today contain the emergency
clause.
One Of the bills introduced by Senator
Lewis is recognized as the administra-
ton bill and prescribes that a fistic
encounter between man and man shall
be deemed a felony and shall be pun
ishable by an imprisonment of not less
than one nor more than five years.
The other bill, prepared by Senator
Simpson provides for an imprisonment
of from five to ten years.
AS the situation now stands the fight
management have given up all hope in
the senate, but they have IS solid men
In the house at present and these IS
can block the passage of any measure.
The matter of an enactment of an anti
prize fight law has narrowed down to
political row between the administra-
ton and Observation-Disclosures crowd.
and the Florida Athletic Club has been
relegated to the rear.
The prospective bills in the two
houses are Identical The one intro
duced in the senate by Senator Lewis
of BeXor and the one in the house
by Representative Ward of Travis
are generally conceded to be the meas
ures of the administration. They de-
clare that the participants in prize
fighting or any pugilistic encounter
shall be deemed guilty Of felony and
shall be punished by an imprisonment
of not less than one or more than two
years. This bill, of course, has the
emergency clause. The other bill in
troduced in the senate by Senator
Simpson provides a penalty Of not less
than five and not more than ten years
and further provides that any one who
in any manner aids or abets a fight will
be considered a participant and sub
ject to the above named punishment.
The emergency clause is also in this
bill.
These bills We're referred to the iu-
dietary committee in either house and
they were to take action thereon this
afternoon. The Dallas attorneys ap-
peared before them. however to ask
for further time claiming that they
could show that the proposed law was
unconstitutional and class legislation
as we'll as cOnfiscatory. In compliance
with their request both committees ad.
journed until tomorrow morning at
o'clock and nothing further was done
by either house in the matter.
AS the matter now stands it is :
political row between the friends OF
Governor Culberson and his persona
opponents in the legislature. TIL,
Dallas people also want a delay t,
gather additional forces, so everybod,
is pleased to delay the game at present
Tonight lobbying is being INDUCED il
right and left and a strong effort is be
ing made to pull the % populsts in th,
house over to the fight side