The Indianapolis journal., 1897-03-04
UNIQUE LAW PROPOSED
KANSAS LEGISLATOR WANTS THE
TEN COMMANDMENTS ENACTED,
And Placed on the Statutes as Part
of the Criminal Code Of the Pop
uIist SunhOwer state.

TOPEKA, Kan. March 3.-Bleeding Kan
sas is TO have the Ten Commandments
made part of it's criminal code if Repre-
sentative Walters, of Labette county, a
Populist. secures the passage of the bill
which he has INTRODUCED in the House.
women are not ungodiy and men are
said the author of the bill In presenting it
to his fellOwmembers, and therefore the
provisions of my measure are only to ap-
ply to men," Mr.. Walters has taken the
revised version OF the commandments, as
found in Exodus. and Incorporated them
in the form OF a legislative bill, which he
wishes to have become part Of the crim-
inal procedure of the State. The bill is
preceded by long preamble, which re-
cites what he holds to- be facts in Kansas:
IAN act to give statutory force TO the Ten
Commandments:
Whereas, The men of the present gener-
alton have become doubters and scoffers;
and.
Whereas, They have strayed from the
religion of the fathers; and.
Whereas, They no longer live in the
fear of God; and,
Whereas Having 10 fear of punishment
beyond the grave they wantonly violate
the law given TO the world from Mount
Sinai
The bill, which follows this preamble, is
In the text OF the most modern editions of
the Bible. dscarding the ancient version
of King James and several, other royal
editors Of the Scriptures. The measure
thus quotes the commandments:
Therefore. be it enacted by the Legis-
lature of the State of Kansas:
Section /. Thou shalt have no other
gods before Me.
Sec ?. Thou shalt not make to thyself
any craven image, nor the likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above, or in the
earth beneath. or in the waters under the
earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them
h no I.nr "
God am u jealous God. and visit the sins
of the fathers upon the children unto the
third and fourth generations of them that
hate me; and show mercy unto thousands
of them that love me and Keep my COM
Sec. 3. Thou shalt not take the name of
the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord
will net hold him guiltless that taketh His
Sec L. Remember that thou keep holy
the Sabbath day; six days shalt thou labor
and do all thou hast to do, but the sew
enth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy
God In il thou shalt do no manner OF
work thou and thy son and thy daugh-
ter thy man servant and thy maid serv-
ant thy cattle and the stranger that Is
within thy gates. For in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth, the sea, ana all
that in them is. and rested the seventh
day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sew
enth day and hallowed 1t.
Sec ). Honor thy father and thy mother,
which the Lord thy God giveth, thee.
Sec G. Thou shalt do no murder
Sec Z. Thou shalt not commit acul-
tery. 60,
Sec. Q. Thou shalt not bear raise VIII
ness against thy neighbor
See 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neigh
bor's house. thou shalt not covet thy
neighbor's wife nor his servant, nor ms
maid. nor his OK, nor his ass, nor any
thing that is his.
Section IL of the bill provides for the pun
ishment of violators of the comma ndments.
The penalties are visited OH men only. Ihey
are:
For having another God, fire ........... .looo
For making a craven image, one year
i'm the penitentiary and a fine or IOOO
For taking the name of the Lord In
vain and for not observing the SAD -oo
bath daN. nne ...........-.....'.. wv
For not honoring father or mother, six
months in the penitentiary and ilne
of ................. ...--...''-''''-.''''.' o0O
For committing murder, hanged by the
neck until dead.
For stealing. fine or imprisonment, in the
discretion of the court
For bearing false witness, imprisonment
in the discretion of the court.
For coveting thy neighbor mouse, MS
wife. his servant, his maid or, his ass, fine
and imprisonment in the discretion OF the
court.
Section l. provides that this act shall
take effect and be in force from and after
its publication i'm the statute book.
The feature of all Kansas legislation IS
that bills of this character are taken seri-
ously This bill was given its second reading
and then sent TO the Judiciary committee
for consideration. senator HACKNEY; the
chairman of that committee. promised Mr..
Walters to make an early report, and the
debate. If it is recommended for passage,
promises to be feature OF the session. Mr..
Walters is very much in earnest about his
bill He would have the Bible part of the
code of Kansas, which in various places al
ready resembles an extract from one of the