The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-12


another. II cannot reconcile these two
things" said the senator from Madison.
He said he desired to explain his vote
which would be against the bill. II grant
what has been said, that the best citizens
go 10 baseball on Sunday. IL is all a mat
ter OF local sentiment We do not need
this law in Anderson where they play ball
on Sunday and where the good and the bad
citizens alike go to Sunday games. L
am opposed, however, to the dissertation
of the Sabbath. You might as well strike
every law off the statute books as to pass
this law allowing Sunday ball in rhe
larger cities. i am I'm favor OF UNFOLDING
the arm of the church In the noble work
it has done for ages for the preservation
Of the sanctity of the Sabbath day."
DEFENDED THE BILL.
man who is always given the closest
attention when he speaks, Senator James
p Gray. of Evansville. arose to defend
the purpose of the bill. He made a power
full argument for it's passage and spoke
somewhat at length. replying to numerous
questions leveled at him for the purpose
of disconcerting him. The senator said: ''I
am as much in favor of maintaining the
sacredness of the Sabbath day as the sena-
tor who had just spoken. L am friendly
to the church, help maintain it and go
to IL frequently. 1 do all can for it but
| believe that every citizen should have the
| right to do what he wants to do within
reasonable limits. The Legislature of the
state or Indiana should get away from
the dangerous habit of prescribing what
| and what not citizens shall do In the minor
details or life That is the kind of legis-
| latlOn that makes the citizens for the
state and not the State for the citizens.
L believe In innocent amusements. The Ia
boring men. know want this bill passed.
| They demand as their right that ii should
| be passed. Some consideration should be
| given this class Of citizenship which has
not the means to use carriages or riding
horses or automobiles for Sunday recrea-
ton The majority of men and women who
attend sunday baseball games are either
| poor or i'm moderate circumstances. They
have not the means for more costly amuse-
| ments. For heavens sake IL this Legisla-
| ture ever intends to do anything substan-
| tial for the laborer. something that he
wants that viii really better his condition
| let US pass this bill and quit meaningless
tax There is no danger in this bill. 1t
Is expressly provided that liquor shall not
be sold and under Ii there will be no rowdy-
| ism or carousals. / ask the senators to re-
fleet what this bill really means to the
poor people and then to give it their sup
Senator Bariow's speech, while earnestly
delivered, sounded a little like a camp
meeting argument. I've legislate men
legislate good into them. If this bill should
pass IL would be an entering wedge for the
devil. Satan is ready to gloat over the
every car and every train that comes into
| indianapolis on Sunday will be filled with
| rowdy and criminal classes
DEBATE CLOSED.
Senator Ulrey closed the debate There
have been some amusing sophstries uttered
| by those who oppose the passage of this
| bill, he said, with an ironical smile. "Dis-
cussion is good 1t has caused my friend
from Anderson" and he indicated Senator
Kittinger, ito discover that he has a con-
science. However, L fail to see the neces-
sity for so terrible an upheaval of con-
| science on this matter There are other
things done on Sunday to which no general
| objection is raised, and these things are
just as much within the scope of these ar
| guments against the bill as Sunday base
| ball. How about bands playing Sun
| day! sometimes churches or religious
bodies hire these bands. How about play
ing golf on Sunday, form of aristocratic
| amusement that is INDUCED in by many
| people believe who have placed themselves
in violent opposition to Sunday baseball? L
| have even heard of ministers that play golf
on Sunday. People go to the country clubs
on Sunday. they do this and they do that,
and most of them have plenty of means.
But the minute somebody proposes to do
something for the poor devil who has not
| money enough for the more expensive Sun
day amusements and must needs content
goes up. and for the first time some hon.
orable senator discovers that the sanctity
of the Sabbath is being attacked, that an
l
morality and that we are all in terrible
danger OF degeneration. L tell you it is
absurd 1t is more than absurd. 1t is
puerile- Jesus Christ called the attention
OF the people to the fact that on one mo-
mentous occasion Sunday was for man and
not man for Sunday. Baseball is a clean,
decent game which will not hurt anybody
or any community if order is observed on
Sunday any other day. i ask the SEN
ators to vote for this BILL
Senator Ogborn made a futile attempt to
close discussion of the bill. which he had
no right to do, as he had not called 1t up.
The chair very properly ruled against him.
Senator Ogborn launched into a speech
against those persons who had asked SEN
ators to vote for the bill. He shouted
raucously that the Senate had been dis
graced by the presence on its floor of a
paid lobby which had stopped at nothing
in it's efforts to have the bill passed. He
tain senators that if they failed to support
the bill the papers represented by them
would roast the senator's Ee said that
and had tried to intimidate other senators.
His remarks were bitter and couched In
language unusual upon the floor of the
| Senate. He made no attempt to subStanti-
ate the charges that newspaper men had
tried to intimidate senator's. and contented
himself with loose general allegation
Later on number OF senator's took excep-
ton to the remarks of Senator Ogborn, and
, said they believed there was absolutely nc
basis for them.
SENATORS ON THEIR FEET.
BY this time half the senators were on
their feet eager to catch the eye of the
temporary presiding officer, Senator Daus-
J man. He maintained his composure ad.
I, mirably and guided the course of legislation
] with a sure handl Out Of the turmoil he
; recognized Senator James w. Fortune, who
moved the previous question, which cut of
further debate. The vote was then taker
on Mr.. Ogborn's motion to indefinitely post
pone the bill. The motion was lost by q
| vote of "a to %. Senator Crumbaker, whC
eventually voted against the bill, first voted
} for indefinite postponement and ther
J changed his vote The following was the
vote on the Ogborn notion
Ayes-Barlow, Coats, COnlogue, Crum
/ packer, Darby, De Haven, Gard Gibson
Goodwine. Gochenour, Harrison, Hendee
Kittinger, Layman, Lindley, Newhouse Og
{ born, Parks, Smith, Thompson, Thralls
} Wampler, Wolcott-23.
Noes-Askren. Ball. Barcus,i Bell, Crum
I baker. Dausman, Davis, Fleming, Fortune
Gray, Johnston, Lawler,- Lyons, Matson
3 Milburn, Powell. Purviance. Roche. Singer
Starr, Stricler, Ulrey, Whitcomb. Wood-24
2 The vote at first showed twenty-three fol
Q indefinite postponement and twenty-five
against Then Senator Crumbaker changed
2 his vote from aye TO no and Senator Matsor
4 voted no, which gave the friends of the bill
two more votes and killed the Ogborn mo
0 ton.
$ Senator Fortune Immediately moved tina
y the absentees be called, and the demand
was seconded by Senator Fleming and Sena
> tor Ball. The absentees were Senator
1 Il,sz.