The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1905-04-28
10 HONOR MEMORIAL Day.
NEW NEBRASKA LAW WAS WRIT.
TEN BY NORFOLK MAN.
FROM PEN OF W. M. ROBERTSON
The New Law Prohibiting Sports on
Memorial Day Was Written In Nor
folk at the Instance OF the Sons Of
Veterans-The Law.

Veterans--The Law.
w. NJ Robertson Of Norfolk has the
distinction OF having written the new
law in Nebraska which prohibits all
sports on Memorial day, In honor OF
the soldier dead. Mr.. Robertson pre-.
pared the bill at the instance Of E,
II. Jenkins of Columbus, brother OF
c. ID. jenkins OF Norfolk and repre-
senting the Sons OF Veterans. The
bill was presented in the legislature
by Senator Hughes OF Platte county,
and passed. II is now a law and will
take effect on the first OF July.
After the bill had passed the old
soldiers presented Senator Hughes
with huge bouquet OF American
Beauty roses, leaving the token on
his desk. Mr.. Robertson chanced to
be in the senate chamber when the
token was picked up by Senator
Hughes and the latter, turning to Mr..
Robertson, said, These belong to
you"
Mr.. Robertson, however, is very
modest in taking credit for the pas
sage OF the bill. while it is true
that ] did write It," he said today
and this was the first that his Nor
folk friends had known OF his connec-
tion with the law-"yet | did It at the
request of Mr.. jenkins OF Columbus.
While had always advocated such
measure, it was the Sons Of Veterans
who prompted the writing OF the bill"
The State Journal states that
technical error in saying, "the day
commonly known as Decoration day"
was made by the writer, when the
name should have been, Memorial"
Mr.. Robertson insists that the day
while it is preferred to be known
among old soldiers as Memorial" day,
is nevertheless commonly known as
Decoration day." and that he there
fore made no mistake in that phrase.
Concerning the. bill the Lincoln
Journal says:
Although the new law prohibiting
ball playing, horse racing and games
and sports tending to disturb the pub
lie peace on Memorial day will not go
into effect until July /, more than one
month after the next Memorial day,
the state university ball team will
day. Chancellor e. Benjamin An
drews has always discountenanced
sports on Memorial day and out Of
Difference to his wishes as much as
for any other reason, there will be
no game at the university campus May
30.
Senator Hughes, of Platte county is
the distinguished author of the bill
designed to prevent desecration of
Memorial day. Senator Hughes never
said a word in debate, but he worked
all the time and secured the passage
of S. f. 232, the bill regarding Memo
rial day sports He makes no special
claim to credit for this work, but
plainly states that the bill was pre-
sented to him by w. NJ. Robertson, a
well known attorney of Norfolk, who
was once a candidate in the repub-
lican state convention for the Office of
governor. The bill was approved by
Governor Mickey March 80. AS 1t
has no emergency clause it will not
go into effect until three calendar
months after the date Of adjournment
of the legislature. Mr.. Robertson
made only one technical error in his
bill. He refers to Decoration" day,
when as a matter of fact, the G. A..
r. everywhere have decided to dis
card that name and call it by more
appropriate title, Memorial" day.
The G. A. r. desire the people to call
it Memorial day instead of Decoration
day.
The Law.
The law is as follows:
"A bill for an act to provide for the
proper observance of Decoration day
and TO prevent horse racing, ball play
ing and all other sports and games on
that day tending to disturb the public
peace, and prescribing penalty for
it's violation.
BE it enacted by the Legislature Of
the state Of Nebraska.
Section /. Any person or persons
who shall on the Goth day of May,
commonly known as Decoration day,
engage in horse racing, ball playing
or in any game of sport which may
tend to disturb the public peace on
the goth day of May shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be
punished by fine not exceeding 800,
or by Imprisonment for not more than
thirty days, or both, in the discretion
of the court"
The game which had been scheduled
between the university team and
Creighton university for Memorial
day has been postponed till June q
on the local campus. While it was
known at the university that the new
law would not affect games this spring
it is said that opposition has always
been offered to the holding of inter