The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-06
1T is ALL STUFF
Mayor Billiard Takes Shot at
Sunday Theater Talk.
Claims There Is No Foundation
For Such RUmor.
TO DISCREDIT THEM.
Commissioners Say Attempts to
Hurt Administration.
SUNDAY Shows Will Always Be
Prohibited" They Say.
TO DISCREDIT THEM

7 Mayor Billiard and the board OF city
commissioners are disguised with the
Sunday theater talk that has been dug
up from the grave and placed on their
( shoulders the last few days Every
member of the commission is free with
the idea that there Is absolutely moth
+ ing either one way or the other IN the
whole matter
/ Although Mayor Billiard and Com
missioner Miller rather favor the idea
I of Sunday theSters. claiming that this
I IS the one chance for the amusement
F of the working people Of the city still
+ they have no intention of changing the
I law and the ordinances as they now
stand and will make no effort 10 do
so at this time
II has been charged that the Sun
lday theater question has aroused pro
tests from every section OF the city
and that complaints have been COM
[ ing to Mayer Billiard the city commits
siOuers and the chief Of police MayoE
( Billiard stated this morning that he
/ had not heard a word either for or
against the Sunday theater question
There IS no excitement IN Topeka
about this" said the mayor 1T mas
been stated that many people have
protested to me concerning this prob
lem Not 4 person has said a word
| 70 me about the opening Of the the
aters, either for or against Al OF
this talk has originated in the minds
Of some one who has other interests
Even Mr. Crawford has failed 70 say
a word to me about The has never
asked me to open the theaters-
Nothing but DopeH-Billard-
This stuff you have been reading
about the Sunday theater problem and
The attitude Of the administration Is
r.
would call dope The city admin
istratiou has never been called On 10
make 4 test After the Crawford
posters were out Saturday night tell
ing of the Sunday shows. I called Up
Chief jenkins and we had the mem
bers Of the police force all in readi-
ness TO arrest the tEeater people as
soon as they opened their doors More
than this We had the police Judge On
the spot for 4 hasty conviction
There Is an ordinance prohibiting
the opening Of the theateEs IN To-
peka on Sunday and I am going TO
enforce 1.-THE city commissioners feel
the same Just as soon as thea
ter in this town opens up We are GO
ing to make the arrests and convict
the managers at once There Is no
sentiment or guesswork in conn sctton
with the city laws-we are elected to
enforce them and We viii do it-eveu
though we might think that the Sun
day theztar would be 4 good thing
7 cant see why there should be any
doubt about the Sunday theater ques-
ton I don't see why anyone should
think that the theaters will open 1t
IS all foolish They are not going TO
open as long as this ordinance holds
good I will admit that I fail To see
the justice in allowing the Vinewood
theaters TO run wide open when the
show houses in town must be closed.
0 - = Ii TT i
have nothing but an idea on it
Commissioner Miller was equally
Disguised IN the manner in which the
city administration has been criticised
and blamed for the limited release OF
the Sunday theGters-
7 have always said that I was for
the open theater On Sunday and still
say it. said Mr. Miller. but I am
here in Office to help enforce the law
and I will stick by this ordinance we
now have There is nothing TO this
talk Of opening the theaters-they are
closed by law and we are going to car
~ out the law This matter has never
been brought up before the city ad-
mfuistratfon-aud never wflI-every-
one knows our attitude 1t has been
stated that I have had conferences
with Mr. Crawford have only seen
him 10 say good morning and have
said nothing else We are getting
tired Of all this stuff that doesn't con-
Germ Us
same Old Story.~-HoIman-
Commissioner Holman laughed
when asked about IT.
@Oh, IL isn't any nearer the truth
than is usually sent forth" he said 4
was not surprised that we should be
blamed for all OF thfS"ir IS only nat
uraI that there would be some at
{ temptS TO diSCredit the administration
Z This Sunday theater problem viii new
er enter the city haIl-Te have ordfu-
anceS to enforce
Commissioners Tandy and Holman
were also of the same opinion They
stated that they had heard nothing Of
the closing of the show houses and
would pay attention 10 nothing they
had heard Both are against the
( opening of the thezterS and do not
fear any rebellion On the part of their
assoc iates-
Meanwhile the city administration
will go ahead with their business and
pay little attention to those who at
tempt to discredit them with inbound
ed literature and alleged interviews