The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-06-15

Last nights meeting Of the city
council was lengthy one and a num-
Der OF interesting matters received at
tentlon, but the subject attracting the
most attention and to which the
greatest interest was attached was thu
ordinance allowing Sunday baseball in
this city. The council chamber was
crowded with interested citizens, and,
although a number of other matters
were disposed of before this ordinance
was reached, they remained in their
seats until the ordinance was passed.
which action was heartily applauded
by those present. There was not a
vote against the ordinance, although
the entire council was present with
the exception of Alderman Fisher, who
had been excused by the mayor Al
derman Oliver did not vote. asking TO
be excused because of the fact that he
Is interested in the baseball park. but
stated that he was heartily in favor OF
the ordinance.
PROTEST FROM MINISTER'S.
Rev. ]. S. Sibley, with the consent OF
the council, was granted the privilege
of the floor and read a communication
from the Ministerial Association in
which they vigorously protested against
the adoption Of the ordinance allowing
baseball on Sunday. After reading the
protest he stated that he wished TO
protest against such an ordinance. not
as a minister, but as a citizen. and
asked, after he had heard the ordinance
read, that he be allowed to address the
council. His request was granted and
after the ordinance had been placed on
second reading he was allowed to ad-
dress the body.
Mr.. Sibley stated that he wished to
request the council not to pass the or
dinance at this meeting, but to wait
ana give those opposing it's adoption
an opportunity to appear and give
their arguments against II.
Alderman Semmes replied to him in
his maiden speech before the council
and stated that he was heartily in Ia
vor OF the ordinance and gave his req
sons for being Of this opinion He
said, however, that he would not be in
favor Of railroading any ordinance
through, but that he did not think this
ordinance was being rushed, as the
matter had been discussed freely in the
papers since the introduction Of the or
dinance at the last council meeting.
He said, il had been generally under
stood that the ordinance would be
passed at this session and that IL any
citizens had any kick coming they
should have been on hand.
At the conclusion of Alderman
Semmes's remarks, Mr.. Sibley again
TOOK the floor and gave a number of
reasons for opposing the ordinance.
lie said that In the first place he be-
lieved it was class legislation, as the
ordinance specified where games should
be played and that ii was not for the
beneht OF everybody, but for the profit
or few He said that he had con-
suited two attorneys and that they
were both of the opinion that II was
doubtful whether or not the law will
be constitutional, even though allowed
under the city charter as amended by
the last legislature, because II is in
conflict with the state law. He closed
his remarks by referring to the moral
side Of theI question and said that he
believed the tendency of this ordinance
was to corrupt and degrade the morals
Of the city.
Alderman, Kugleman replied to Mr..
Slbley and defended the ordinance and
the game, as well. He said the ordi-
nance had been carefully drafted in
such manner as not to interfere with
the churches. He called attention to
the clause stipulating that no games
could be played in the morning on Sun
day or within $50 feet of any church.
After the ordinane was adopted, Mr..
Sibley thanked the aldermen for al
lowing him to speak, but stated that
he was very sorry they had voted as
they did and just as he was leaving
said we are not quite through with 1T
yet, gentlemen"
LIBRARY ORDINANCE TABLED.
The proposition having been voted
down by the people, the ordinance re-
lating to the establishment OF a Car
negie library did not meet with much
enthusiasm when It was introduced by
Alderman Bear, who stated in intro
ducing it that he did so by request, and
after reading 1t made a motion that IL
be laid on the table. The motion was
unanimously carried.
An unusual sight la
night when the city clerk, in the pres
ence of the council, destroyed S2s,O 900
worth Of unused bonds. The clerk tore
the crisp, yellow bonds into small fraR-
ments, thus carrying out the law re-
lating to the destruction Of such bonds,
These bonds represented the amount
LContlnued on pana EI,.eA