The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-26
AT STAND Still.
Council Rescinds the Sunday
Closing instructions.
Councilman Myers Claims No
Such Action Was Taken.
T~HEJOURNAL
Councilman Miller Also Finds
Fault With Facts.
Judiciary Committee VIII Con-
slider Ordinance.

day closing ordinance back in the same
position it has occupied for years at the
meeting Friday evening. By a vote which
was two short of unanimous, the mayo
was instructed to enforce the ordinance
under the same construction that has
been used in the past The old ordinance
was also referred to the judiciary COM
mittee for revision and the result will
probably be that there will be a new Sun
day closing ordinance.
The question was called up at once by
Mayor Drew, upon the assembling of the
council, who said that there was some
opposition manifested to the enforcement
of the Sunday closing ordinance.
Then the fact was developed that at
least some of the members of the coun-
ell did not know what they were doing
when they voted to instruct the mayor
to enforce the ordinance.
Councilman CLANCY, of the Fourth
ward, made a plain statement of the case
and said that he did not believe the or
the Interpretation.
Then Councilman Myers, the new mem
Der from the Second ward, who has serv-
ca IN the city council since last April,
made a savage attack upon the State
Journal for stating that the council had
ordered the enforcement of the ordinance.
He said that if the Journal could not re-
port the proceedings truthfully he fav-
ored barring the representative of the pa
per from the council meetings.
Mr.. Myers is probably not to blame for
his injudicious statement, for it was very
late-nearly midnight-When the action
was taken upon Mr.. Miller's motion. He
would have been excusable, had he been
CSACtBS IA nc - u DldlI6 " IOL dpOlO-
giving when he found out that the State
Journal did not misState the facts when
the enforcement of the Sunday closing
ordinance. He is a very young member
and he will probably fad out before long
that 1t is the business of the State Jour
nal to print the news about the actions of
the city council as well as about every
thing else.
Councilman Miller, of the First ward,
followed Mr.. Myers. He also is a new
member. He has had experience as a
manlhRF nf the 01fU hoard 0f RdIP9 fiOn-
and therefore has somewhat the advant-
of Mr.. Myers as a public man. Mr..
Miller found fault with the statement that
the instructions had been ra1lroaded
through the council, but the ignorance Of
the fh9ic pF~eeee fba4 WAS 6ispia tge siat Mr., 1o My9g9i
said was correct. The action was taken
after Councilman Hughes, CLANCY and
Warner had gone home. Mr.. Miller PROB
ably did not understand the full meaning
of his motion. He will undoubtedly learn
in time and may become a valuable mem
Der. He should know by past experience
that the State Journal always prints the
news.
Mayor Drew said today. Mr.. Miller
admitted that the Sunday closing motion
was made by him and discussed before it
was passed. Nobody remembers second
ing it, but it was put, debated and pass
ed. When 1 am instructed by the council
to carry out a resolution to enforce an
ordinance that has been on the books for
years, it seems to be a censure on me for
not enforcing it."
tention of the council to the fact that a
motion to enforce the Sunday closing or
dinance had been made and carried You
surely know" said he, that would not
be rash enough to attempt such a thing
unless I had the sentiment of the coun-
ell behind me-
Councilman Weber moved that the or
dinance be referred to the judiciary COM
mittee, and this was done
Councilman Hughes inquired what
would be done in the meantime. He
thought the action taken by the council
should be reconsidered- I move said
he, that the resolution OF Councilman
Miller be recOnsidered," but he remem-
was adopted and withdrew his motion.
Councilman Miller then said: 1t does
not require a resolution to enforce the
ordinances of the city. If my motion mad
been defeated, it would have made no diff
ference, because the ordinance is still
A motion was made to follow the same
methods in enforcing the ordinances as
have been used in the past.
Councilman Elliott inquired whether the
motion was that the law should not be
This brought Councilman Hughes to his
feet. He spoke with considerable warmth.
Il don't believe in stopping the street
cars said he, or preventing the boot
black from earning his nickel on Sunday
or closing the undertaking Establishments.
If I am not able to buy ice, l don't want
the butchers prevented from selling me a
little meat on unday This means that
my reighbor who keeps a COW can't sell
his milk on Sunday. If we are going to
do business like this, We might as well
build a board, fence around Topeka at
once and say that no one is allowed to
come in here. There is no sense in turn
ing back $50 years to resurrect, the ole
Blue Laws. The poor man who can't
buy ice is entitled to just as much con-
sideratiOn as I am. Must the street cars
stop running and must the Santa Fe stor
its trains just outside the city limits. You
might as well talk of stopping the preach
er. who is paid for preaching on sunday
Are the restaurants and hotels to close
as they must If the law is strictly inter
preted."
does not close the hotels or restaurants
for people have a right to eat. The fac
that a number of people have asked t
have this ordinance enforced is reason
enough to enforce it If We don't wan
to enforce it, let US take it off the statute
book" -,
The motion was then adopted, Council
men Miller and Morgan voting in tn
negative, but Councilman Mergan SAT-