The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-04
HAD TO STAY OUT.
Mayor Parker Refuses to See
Rev. j. T. Mcfarland.
Had Called to See About Sun
day Theaters.
NOT IN THE OFFICE.
The Minister Remained Outside
While Others Talked.
Mayor Promised to Try to Stop
Sunday Theatricals.

Tell Mr.. Mcfarland that under no
! considerations will I allow him to come
into this Office, nor will consent TO talk
to him anywhere else. AS to Mr.. Shell
don and Mr.. Reynolds. 1 shall be glad
to have them come in and see me-"
This was the answer which Mayor
Parker sent out to a committee from
the Ministerial Union which called at
the city hall Wednesday afternoon for
the purpose of asking Mayor Parker 10
suppress the Sunday evening theatrical
performances.
For an hour and q half afterwards,
the mayor was in close consultation
with Rev. Charles Nj. Sheldon. Rev. A.
NJ. Reynolds and City Attorney Spencer,
and gave his pledge to the Ministerial
Union that he would use his best en-
deavor to stop Sunday theaters in To-
Delza-
Meantime. the Rev, ]. D. Mcfarland
pastor of the largest church in Topeka,
and power in local politics. was left to
cool his heels in the Office of the city
attorney across the hall.
TT don't make any particular diff
ference to me whether the mayor con-
sents to see me or not said DIR. Nc
Farland L have nothing personal
against the mayor. and have never
dealt with him in personal way in any
of my remarks It is his public acts
which ! have had OCCASION to criticise-
If the mayor carries out his promise to
| close the Sunday theaters, l will be as
quick to recognize that act as ! have
| been to crfticise his improper conduct as
| an official There's absolutely Nothing
personal in my attitude to the mayor,
but of course 1 am persona non grata
in his estimation, and for that reason
he refused to see me- The other ineln-
] bers of the committee inform me that
/ the interview was very satisfactory. and
that the mayor promised distinctly more
than once during the interview that he
| would close the Sunday theaters.
Mayor Parker was asked this morn
ing why he refused to see Mr.. McFar-
land. He said:
Il can't talk to Mcfarland without
losing my temper. I can talk to any
body else that / ever knew except him.
He is Just like fire whenever he gets
near me, and I can't agree to listen to
him talk. 1 had very pleasant inter
view with Mr.. Sheldon and Mr. Rey-
nolds, and 1 think that I told them
some things they did not know before.
I did not give them any promise that
1 would close the Sunday theaters. !
told them 7 would do the best could.
and l will. l expect to have talk
with the city attorney today, to find out
lust what tie law permits US to do.
don promise TO 40 dlylUl HSN1A
promised a man a job: never promised
to close the Joint, and if anybody tells
you that old Parker promised to do any
thing, you can pretty near set It down
that it amt so. But / am just as anx-
ious to suppress the Sunday theaters as
anybody IN town. and if I had my way
/ there wouldn't be a joint running in the
city today
Those ministers who called on me
did not even know that the money shot
machines are not running, until / told
them. urged them to get out and in
, | Vestigate before they made statements
about the horrible condition of things in
this city. 1 told them that if they won [
, investigate and find out the truth. they
/ ought to tell real good lies about 1t, and
6 say there are 200 joints running, instead
, of 100, as they claim. There are nov
, about 30 joints running. and 1 am frank
to admit that this is 80 too many. THESE
same Joints have been running all the
time; they ran under Hughes and Stahi.
and the only difference now is that we
! frankly admit that they are running.
while Stahl denied it,
;, When the three ministers came to the
, city hall. they first called upon City
: Attorney Spencer The idea of the
clergymen was that the city should pro-
: ceed by injunction to prevent the pre-
: sentation of the play. City Attorney
Spencer held that the only action which
' would be justifable would be a criminal
prosecution, as there is no constitutional
provision touching the Sunday law, and
that the city ordinance was intended to
provide TIE means of redress.
This point being established, the ques-
> ton came up to how the ordinance
should be enforced, and that being direct
ly connected with the police affairs. Mr..
Spencer suggested that the committee
consult with Mayor Parker
Mr.. Spencer went to see whether Mr..
: Parker was at leisure, ard finding that no
: was, told him who wanteo to see him. 1t
was at this time that the mayor declared
n that under consideration should Mr..
s Mcfarland be allowed to come into his
+ office.
= press themselves as well ss'isfad with the
j result of the interview, ana say that thty
t believe Mayor Parker will keep mis- word,
o and enforce the Sunday closing law in re-
y gard to theaters- The mayor vas at frs
disposed to insist that some of the minis-
ters swear to the complaint against the
theater and cause the manager of the
show to be arrested on q warran-. City
Attorney Spencer stated however that it
| would be entirely lawful for any police
man to arrest the propri sfor of the thea
L ter on sight, after the show Is in pro-
gross. No warrant is necessary. The Cr-
dinance also gives authority TO arrest All
of the members of the theatrical con-
pany- p
8 It will be remembered that some years
# age Sheriff Cooks deputies arrested ali
7 of the members of the Topeka baseball
), team, on the charge of playing Sunday
: baseball The talk of The present time
It contemplates a prosecution under the
same ordinance and state Jaw
The managers of the thcaters claim that
such law is unconstitutional. as beins
J. restrictive of religious lib ersv. 1t is muck
f the same point that is raised in the public
g many truly reli Si).ls pecpie iJe-leve IL
Sunday baseball, and uh3t at many Gath
Ole schools. baseball is the regular n
day afternoon amusement rho sam.