The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-27
In His Measure vetoing Base
Ball Bill Hands Out Hope of
Favoring Straight Sunday
Ball Measure.
WILL RUSH NEW BILL
THROUGH BOTH HOUSES
When the Message Was Read
1t Was Greeted With Cheers
BY Anti-basebaII Forces
Friends Cheerful.
Palladium Bureau,
Indianapolis, Feb. 27.

Indianapolis, feo. ~.
In the message sent by Governor
Marshall, vetoing the Sunday base
racing, poker, football or anything
that came under the head of game,
there was a hint that he would sign
a bill which only permitted the play
ing of base ball. Hence the bill con-
forming to the opinions of the COVER
nor will be rushed through both
houses. The governors message
reads:
Until the passage of the bill COM
monty known as the Sunday base ball
bill I had paid no attention to it
whatever. l supposed that what it
was proposed to do was to repeal the
criminal statute against the playing
of base ball on Sunday and perhaps
take what. is known as the Sunday
desecration act and make the playing
of that game in the afternoon of Sun
day an exception to the terms of the
act.
His Personal Opinion.
Il think there is nobody in Indiana
who does not know that. from a per.
sonal standpoint, l am opposed to the
playing of any game on the first day
of the week commonly called Sunday
but l know that every objection
against this custom that could be urg
ed had been urged and therefore.
had not intended to In any manner
interfere with the legislative decision
upon this question. Where a ques
ton has been thoroughly discussed
by the legislature, and all arguments
have been used for ana against it.
have not deemed it either my right
or my duty to thwart the will of the
legislative department upon questions
of public policy and the exercise OF
the police power by the state, believ
ing that nothing which l could say
would change the opinion of the mem
bers of the general assembly, ant
granting to each member the same
right of individual conscience upon
the question which l have reserved
for myself.
Any Kind Of Game.
"But when the bill comes to me
| aside from all question as to it's con
stitutionality, I am convinced that il
might be either directly or tacitly
construed by the authorities to mean
permission to engage in every sort ol
game on Sunday afternoon, not only
base ball and foot ball, but prize
| fighting. horse racing and gambling
of every particular and l am not a,
all sure that a construction Of the
bill might not hold that these games
are to be played within one Thousand
feet of a church or a hospital; two
negatives in the English language us
| ually making an affirmative.
you now know my views upon this
question. 1 therefore return to yor
| enrolled act No. 7S without my ap
proval, and with the statement tha,
l will not further inflict my person
al views on you upon this subject
| Very truly yours,
THOMAS R. MARSHALL.
Governor
Friends Are Cheerful.
When the message was read in the
house there was shout of approva
and loud cheering among the oppon
ents OF the bill. But the supporters
of the bill said they saw in the Ian
guage of the veto message an intima
ton that if a bill were passed thai
would merely legalize base ball or
Sunday afternoon and not attempt Il
legallZe all other sports and gamblins
as we'll the governor would Siun II
So they got together and during ths
afternoon Representative Brolley. thu
father of the original bill. introduced
new one that he will try to pusl
through in time to have it passed be
fore the session closes. The new bill
is believed to fit the requirement!
that are pointed out in the message
So after all. in spite of one veto. In
diana may yet have Sunday base ball