The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-27
Anti Baseball Bill Killed in the
House.
Debate Is Most Exciting of the
Session.
CONES QUOTES BIBLE.
Makes a BIunder When Inter
rOgated by Allen.
Anti Sunday Theater Bill Is
Also Slaughtered.

The house Thursday afternoon put
two more bills by Cones of Meade
county out of business, and one OF
these was the anti-Sunday baseball
bill. The other was the bill against
Sunday theaters and amusements. Tne
house was in committee of the Whole
and the standing vote was IS to 81;
The baseball bill was killed on roll
cali by a vote of 8 to So, the amuse-
ment bill died to the tune of l to DO.
The debate on these two bills lasted
all through the afternoon session ana
it was O'Clock when the roll call was
taken on the baseball bill. The floor
of the house and the galleries were
crowded during the entire afternoon
session. Norman Hapgood, editor OF
Golfers. sat at the press table all
afternoon and evidently enjoyed the
debate. -
After the bills had been beaten in
committee of the whole the friends OF
the Sunday baseball bill, led by stone
ofzShawnee county, secured roll call
vote in the hope that the members
would not stand firm on their previous
action. They gained seven votes by
the transaction but were still shy hVe
votes of a victory.
The debate over the two bills was
a. corker. Some twenty members took
part and they called on the Bible, the
history of ancient nations and the
rights and restrictions of mankind
since the flood to bear witness that
to sustain it.
Aliens Spectacular Speech.
Probably the most notable and
spectacular speech of the afternoon
was that made by George Allen, the
eloquent young lawyer from WAN 4,
the fight on the measure by offering
an amendment to the effect that the
driving of automobiles and buggies
also be prohibited in this bill. He
- 1. l. 6nw, 80
the auto horn, the clatter of hoofs and
the cloud of dust raised by persons
going to the games disturbed him just
as much as the game itself did the
mem bers of the house who favored the
bill killing the national game in Kan
The member from Wyandotte de-
livered a gem of irony and sarcasm.
He spoke of how these vehicles ''frac-
tured the ambient atmosphere" He
referred to the blue laws of Connecti-
cut, and how they forbade a man to
kiss his own wife on the Sabbath, and
he told Of the old narrow doctrine of
infant damnation and other things
that had become obsolete in this en-
lightened and broad gauge day OF
public affairs. eff we are to have the
blue laws reinacted in Kansas at this
time" he said, 'let us not stop half
N-av. Let us restrict the young bride
groom from exhibiting his bride on
2 fhe Sabbath. The only reason the
friends of this bill give for its passage
is YOU shall not do this or that And
thev say this in Kansas, a state dedi-
Gated to freedom and personal lib
erty.'' !.
Kerr of Montgomery sent to the
desk an addition to the Allen amend
ment that included croquet, humble
peg and blind mans buff to the lis
of games and things prohibited on the
Sabbath. -....
After the house had got through
laughing over the amendments, KEEL
ley of Shawnee moved that the enact
ing clause be struck out of the Cones
bill. He supported his motion with Z
strong argument. The fact is, this
man Kelley. K-e-l-l-e-y. is blossomins
out as a debater of class.
Natson of Sedgwick, ION behalf OF