New-York tribune., 1910-05-11
HEALERS STORM ALBANY.
Spiritualists and Christian Sci
entists Oppose Witter Bill
PHYSICIANS SPEAK FOR IT
Measure Requires That Persons
Practising Healing Art Must
Have Diploma.
q Tsleeraph % The Tribune.l


Albany May I0.-In attempting to act as
mediator for representatives OF various
I cults and schools of medicine which were
represented before the Senate Public
Health Committee to-day on the Wfrter-
Wilkie bill regulating the healing art Dr.
:. s. Downing, OF the State Education De-
partment, got himself into tight place
This is the bill which the Christian Scien-
lists and spiritualists believe would inter
fere with them and their practices
DR.. Downing was making suggestions for
amendments TO the bill which he thought
ought 10 be satisfactory to everybody
present, when Charles R. Schiern. OF
Baltimore, vice-president Of the National
Spiritualists' Association, and V 0. Strick-
Ter. first reader OF the First Church Of
Christ, Scientist, of New York, began TO
fire questions at him. He soon found him
self entangled in an argument at the
same time on the occult mysticism OF
spirituaEsrn and the naind-over-u1atter ten
cts Of the Christian Scientists. He ap-
pealed for help.
Mr. Chairman he said. turning to
Senator Witter, IT think this should be
stopped. Wont you please close this hear
inc"
The chairman needed the cry Of dis
tress ard closed the hearing forthwith.
State Diploma Required.
The bill, which has raised a storm Of
protest from spirttualists and Christian
Scientists all over the state. passed the
Assembly last week II provides that all
persons practising the healing art must
have q state diploma The law at present
provides that this requirement shall not
interfere with the practice OF any re-
ligious tenets- The bill cuts out the clause
about religious tenets.
It was drawn by the Erie County Medi-
cal Society, as the result OF the acquittal
OF Mrs. VI. E Lane, a Buffalo medium, who
had been arrested on a charge of prac-
tisiEg medicine without q state diploma
Mrs. Lane. q stout person, attired in
gaudy purple plush gown and q hat Of
many colors. was present, as were also
other mediums.
Charles D stickney, Of Buffalo, the at
torney who defended Mrs Lane, intro
duced the spiritualists speakers The first
was H. w. Richardson, president of the
New York State Spiritualist Association
He declared that spiritualisr IS as old as
history. Its main idea, he said, is the
healing Of the sick, and he could see
nothing more helpful than that He read
to the committee q definition Of spiritual
healing. adopted at the last national con-
vention OF the National spiritualists' AS
ISOLATION
Among other things. 1t held that spirit
ual healing is q gift possessed by certain
spiritual mediums and that this gift is
exercised by and throuG b the direction and
influence of excarnate spiritual beings for
the relief. cure and healing Of both mental
and physical diseases OF humankind and
that the results of spiritual healing are
produced in several ways"
The Christian Scientists VINO spoke
against the bill were Eugene r Cox. chair
man Of the Publication Company of the
Christian Science Church; Mr.. strtckIer.
c. D. Holconabe, Of Buffalo. and g. S. Hig-
ley Of Hudson Falls