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

bill should become law my consttu-
ency Is divided on this question, he said,
.sbut / feel that | am doing no harm 10
my people. my state or my religion In vot.
ing fer the passage OF this bill. ! do not
heiie.e that participation in innocent
amusement of this character Is degrading
to any one. This bill Is meant largely 10
give laboring men a chance. 10 enjoy rec
reation which they could not possibly have
otherwise. Confined by hard work six days
in the week. IL is only fair and just tnat
this General Assembly should pass a law
which would give them a chance TO IN
dulge I'm harmless amusement on the nrst
lay. j have in my possession petition
signed by no less than twelve thousand OF
the laboring men of Indianapolis. believe
that this petition is entitled TO respect, ana
that IL should be regarded as an evidence
of the feeling the workers of the city, VINO
are most affected by the Dill, nave In the
matter have attended baseball games on
Sunday I'm large cities. notably in Chicago.
and everything was conducted in the most
orderly manner. quite as II the game were
being played any other day of the
week" Senator Wood declared that as IT
Is baseball is played on Sunday In every
town and hamlet In the State, with Few
exceptions. and all this bill would do would
be to legalize an amusement which IL al
ready generally participated In In violation
of law He argued that when the people
want a thing and believe II right law
forbidding that thing is dead letter. and
the quicker IL is amended or got off the
statute books the better for the State and
its citizenship.
FAVORED BY LAwLER.
Senator LAWYER, from the Democratic
side. replied. also. favoring the bill. ''If L
had no other reason for voting in favor of
the passage OF this BILL" he said, "the
arguments advanced by Senator ogborn
against the constitutionality OF the bill
would convince me that it is a good thing.
az by this bill we can secure a decision from
the Supreme Court against special legisla-
ton. whyi say this bill would serve val
liable purpose and should pass. However,
i agree with Senator Wood in the argu-
ments he has advanced in favor of the
measure Baseball Is the noblest sport OF
winch mankind knows, and i see no more
harm I'm a game of baseball on Sunday,
with rowdyism eliminated, than 1 do in
having it played on any other day. / am
bill
Senator John W. Parks had a knife out
for the measure. This is one of the meas
ures," he said sarcasticalIy, in alluding
to votes which he had cast half-heartedly
for other measures, that / am not
ashamed to vote against. In fact, it gives
me the greatest pleasure TO vote against
it." The argument of Senator Parks was
along the line that the Sabbath should be
kept holy and that there should be no
catering wedge OF the nature proposed by
the friends of the bill.
strong champion of the measure arose
In Senator Barcus, of Terre Haute. 1.-The
day OF the blue laws has passed." said
the senator emphatically. 1.-The time has
passed when we can legislate religion into
any man. L am for the bill as conscien-
tiously many senators are against 1t.
You might as well pass law that a GER
tain class OF people shall not baseball
at all as that they shall not see IL on
Sunday. For on that day the laboring men
have their only opportunity to indulge
I'm that form OF recreation; and what SEN
ator on the floor Of this Senate will say
that Ii is immoral amusement? There
- more harm i'm it than in carriage
riding on Sunday or in taking walks or
In doing anything else that is decent or
reputable on Sunday. / wish especially to
call attention to the fact that there is
nothing in the bill which compels any
man to attend game of baseball on Sun
day IL his conscience will not permit him.
IL gives every man free choice. That
Is the right and natural way. 1 hope this
bill will pass"
Senator Kittinger. who was regarded as
more or less doubtful the question,