The evening times., 1896-12-31

| for practically the whole day is given up
to worship. some beginning services as
| early as 6 clock in the morning.
No Attack on Sunday Papers.
| Dr. Ennis said he did not mean in any
degree to attack the Sunday newspapers,
nor to abridge the rights OF TIE ncwsboys.
| No man, he thought, had had more to do
| with newsboys.
He said he and his colleagues did not
come as ministers, although they repre-
sented some OF the leading denominations
in the city; they came as citizens. He
suggested that stands be erected or estab
lished by newsboys, as in other cities, and
| he thought that would meet all the require
ments.
| Gen. William Birney arose to reply but
DIR. Ennis asked the privilege Of explaining
| that he and those with him had not eX-
/ pected organized opposition to the re-
| quest made, ami he asked that others rep
| resent:ng his view should b. heard
Gen. Birney contended that the law al
ready provided a remedy against the
evil alleged, and was proceeding when Col.
| W. +. Wood interposed to say that for one
he desired to protest against the attempt
! of certain people to thrust their views upon
| others, and to persecute those OF opposite
| views. He demanded that there be ali
equitable division OF time
Upon resuming his remarks Gen. Birnry
said he recognized the advocates Of the
measure as those representative Of con
stituency that do.sn't pay its taxes.
Il believe l am right turning To DR..
| Ennis. "in saying that churches do Not pay
| taxes
| Millions of tiem-niillioBs " dollars In
values upon which no tax is paid inter
jectcd Col. Wood
| Dr Ennis turned and thanked the colonel
| for his voluntary offering.
DIR. Ennis Response
Gen. Birney continued by reminding DR..
| Ennis that the churches are in the habit
OF taking collections On Sunday: that they
disturb invaiids and others by ringing bells
on the Sabbath. and he suggested thatthosc
who are offending should first cure their
own fault before suggesting reforms. Re
ferring to the pi opposition If erecting sta:i.ls
Gen Rirney hoped no hotd syndicate
| was behind the movement.
DR. Ennis made brief response. He
called attention to the fact that the effort is
not to prohibit the sale of newspapers, nor
to abolish the newsboys' calling, hut merely
to protect the churches against the un-
necessary noise of calling papers upon the
| streets.
Mr.. W. 4. Croffutt was the next to op-
pose the suggestion made by DR.. Ennis
He said it was his view that the churches
| should have no more rights than anybody
| else. He alluded to the bell ringing, and
SAID the Secular League would soon apply
to Congress for a law to prohibit the ring
| ing of bells. II is an obsolete custom, he
said; unnecessary after clocks were in
vented and an impertinence after the
| manufacture of watches was begun.
The churches own SIS ,oOo, 200 in prop
erty In the District, upon which no taxes
are paid he added. and but 25, 900 out OF
ESQ 900 people here attend church.
The feature of the discussion was We
| hement address by Col. Wood, not associ
| ated with the representatives Of the sec
ular league, who, in the course of his re-
| marks, referred to the ministers as Jour
| neyrncn soul savers" ''intolerants." aud
| the like. His recommendation was that
| the uewsboys be prohibited from crying
newspapers within four hundred feet Of
churches, thus, he said, regulating them in
| the same way that whisky-sellers are
governed.
DR. Ennis made brief reply, remar rk
| ing that he was pleased to observe that
| nc ST orthose who oppo scd him were gentle
men, and not disI osed to offer insults. and
then introduced Rev. DIR. !. 6. Butler.
Rev. DIR. Buffers Remarks.
| He also took the ground, stated pre-
| vio,iIy by DR.. Ennis, that they were not
there to make war on either the newsboys
or the Sunday newspapers. Their request
was modest one and he hoped it would
lie granted. The Sunday newspaper was
| quite another branch of the subject, to be
| discussed at the proper time but not here
| and now.
Mr u. Webster Groh addressed the Com
missioners, indulging in sundry covert criti
cisms of the ministry and the churches, and
was finally told by Commissioner Ross
that he was not talking to the subject
He made proper ackno wledgment of the re-
proof, and DIR. Parsons followed in support
of the proposition made by his ministerial
associates.
Col. Carson was asked by Gen. Brncy to
say something in behalf of the newsboys,
but lie said he had misunderstood what il
was that was wanted. Learning what it
was. lie had nothing to say.
The Commissioners promised to give the
! matter their consideration, snd the con-
| ference closed.
President Ross directed that it be ascer-
tained what the custom is in other Cities
Especially in New York.