The Washington herald., 1911-07-09
JOHNSTON LOADED
TO DEFEND BILL
FOR SUNDAY REST
Senator Prepares for Attack
of Idaho Member.
STATES HAVE STRICT LAWS
Arguments on District Bill Placed
on Ice for Future Use-IdahO's Blue
Laws More Severe Than Proposed
Enactment-GOIf Playing Not Mem
toned in State Statutes.

LET that sbin go over" commanded
Senator Hepburn, of Idaho, yesterday,
shooting a characteristic glance over the
top of his glasses at the Clerk of the
Senate as that individual announced the
Johnston bill designating Sunday AS
day OF rest in the District as the next
measure on the calendar.
Senator Johnston, of Alabama, the
author of the measure and its strong ad-
vocate, nodded assent, knowing full we'll
that Canadian reciprocity had the right
of way over other bills on which there
might be debate. The Alabaman, how
ever, had been scanning conditions close
ly, and he had his hand on some i'm
portant looking documents in his desk,
which sooner or later are to form the
heaving power of small volcano which
he proposes to place under the Idaho
Senator the next time opportunity is Of
fered for debate on the Sunday rest
bill
Senator Johnston admits that he is
loaded for Senator Hepburn, the bills
chief objector, for he has gone carefully
through the statutes of the Idahoan's
own State and discovered what he claims
to be laws in regard TO Sunday observ-
ance there which are fully as drastic as If
not more so. than most of the terms of
the District bill The Alabama Senator,
in fact, claims that Senator Hepburn
himself is abiding under many Sunday
regulations which are identical to those
which he so stormily denounced in his
speech several weeks ago against the
Johnston bill.
Idaho Omits Some Laws.
These are to be read to the fiery states
man from the Northwest at the earliest
opportunity Senator Johnston can obtain,
and the latter also intends to go further
and demonstrate that several features of
Sunday observance which Senator Hey
burn complained were not in the John
stOn bill also have been left out of the
Idaho laws.
The Idaho Senator ridiculed the bill for
not containing restrictions against golf
playing and the purchase of cigars on
Sunday, also against the promiscuous in
dulgence in nonsecular music. 1t is un-
derstood to be Senator Johnston's purpose
TO taunt the man from Idaho for not
making an effort to have these restric-
tions included in the laws of his own
State, which, Senator Johnston asserts,
imposes more Sunday prohibitions, as
matter of fact, than the District ever
dreamed of having.
The Senator from Alabama, it is un-
derstood, has acquired a volume of data
to show that not only Idaho, but a score
of other States prohibit the erection of
buildings and other unnecessary labor
of that nature on Sunday, while con-
tractors in the District keep their ham
mers going and carry on a general clat-
ter of construction which he asserts is
extremely offensive to the lovers of a
quiet Sabbath
The good-natured wrangle over the
Sunday rest bill thus far has been left
entirely TO Senator Johnston and Sena-
tor Hepburn, although in the desultory
debate that has taken place, Senator Gal
linger, of New Hampshire occasionally
has inserted an oar. The interference of
the latter, however, has been more with
a view to stirring the Idaho Senator to
fresh flights of Oratory than as support
for the measure.
Protests Come in Floods.
There are several other members of the
Senate, however. who are commencing to
NOtiuSI just llo" SoOAl AtlC 4llSe1SdAc e Will
cease to be {. joke, for a remarkable
number of protests against the Johnston
bill are flooding the senatorial mails.
'I have heard far more from my con-
stituents in regard to the Johnston Sun
day rest bill than 1 have in regard to
reciprocity" remarked one Senator yes
terday. Thousands of persons have
been urged to write to us asking us to
kill the measure. If Senator Hepburn
suddenly should cease to act as Horatio
at the bridge, some one else would have
to Jump into the arena, for Senator
Johnston apparently is determined that
the bill shall pass"