Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-11
MEASURE IS REv|SED|AMEND sims BILL
Amended Utilities Bill Report House Votes Concealed
ed to Senate. weapon Measure Too Drastic.
EXPECT EARLY APPROVAL MANN SCORES A VICTORY
Takes Most Of Provisions Discretion Imposing Jail Sentence
Substitute for Violation Allowed.
REQUIRES PROPERTY VALUES DEBATE Is LONG AND NOISY
Stocks, Bonds and Object
Of Clubbing.
House Votes Concealed
Weapon Measure Too Drastic.
MANN SCORES A VICTORY
Discretion in Imposing Jail Sentence
for Violation Allowed.
DEBATE IS LONG AND NOISY
Keeping in Background Of Norris
Primary Bill Believed Object
Of. Clubbing.

For two hours and q half this afternoon
the House of Representatives argued the
Sims bill, making 1t a felony, punish
able by penitentiary term, to carry con-
cealed weapons In the District of Column
oia. chairman johnson of the House
District committee and Representatives
Sims, author Of the bill. made many
arguments in the bills favor. but the
House had many objections.
Representative Mann of Illinois was the
greatest director and introduced an
amendment which lightened the punish
ment and gave the court an opportunity
to use more discretion than that outlined
by the Simms bill.
At half-past the clerk was reading
the second call, on a vote for the Mann
amendment, and Representative johnson
had said that II the bill was weakened he
would move to withdraw it,
The Mann amendment was finally
adopted. $50 votes to 26. More parlia-
mentary fencing was INDUCED in during
this District day over this bill than was
necessary, in the opinion of many men,
bers. The representatives opposed to the
Norris bill for the establishment Of pri-
maries were understood to be working
toward keeping that bill as far in the
background as possible.
At Odds on Weapon Carrying.
The bill against carrying open or con-
cealed weapons was taken up first. The
bill has been changed since the commit
tee considered it. SO that it makes no
crime Of the carrying Of weapons openly.
The bill repeats any act which empow-
ers any court to authorize any one to
carry q concealed weapon. Any knife
blade under the bill having a three-inch
blade or longer Is deadly weapon. The
punishment Is penitentiary term Of one
to three years, with no alternative.
Mr.. Sims Of Tennessee, who framed the
bill. spoke in favor Of the measure.
I'm this city. where a President Of the
United States has been shot by q man
carrying a concealed weapon. We ought
to make 1t a felony for a man to carry a
concealed weapon.
Mentions Hillsville Assault.
"If no one was allowed to carry pistols,
carry pistols to protect themselves"
Representative Sims mentioned the MUIR
derous assault in the Hillsville court as
an example Of promiscuous gun ''toting."
This law will prevent the killing of
innocent people. Many killings have
taken place here that never would have
occurred under law like this bill pro-
poses. We have the army and navy and
the metropolitan police; why then do we
want q gun In our pockets?'
He said there is no possible excuse for
permits to carry guns on the fimsy
AFFIDAVIT that ones life is in danger. He
said 1t was an outrage that SO many
walking arsenals are on the streets Of
Washington.
Too Drastic, Mann Contends.
Representative Mann Of Illinois said the
bill is drastic in it's terms and would not
allow q man to buy a table knife without
subjecting the purchaser to a penitentiary
term.
"a man carrying a razor from the barber
shop" he said, would have to go to the
penitentiary for a year, maybe three
years.
Mr.. Mann thinks the court should have
more discretion than the penttenttary SEN
tence of from one to three years. Mr..
Mann's objections spread out would
cover many inches of space. He brought
into the argument the extraneous sub
ject of his library books, and how some
Of them were lost. He said though, that
he was against the weapon carrying
habit, but that the penalty in the Simms
bill is too drastic.
Whiskers VS.. Razors.
preached, Mr.. Mann. who has a fine
to carry a razor he might be considered
as doing justifable thing.
Representative Johnson, replying to
Mr.. Mann, said the bill was drastic
because that sore Of action is just
what Is needed to stamp out gun "tot-
ing" and razor carrying in this city,
Il would rather see the minimum
penalty five years in the penitentiary
instead of one." he said with en-
phasis.
Holds Present Law Failure.
Representative Mann still interposed be-
tween the bill and vote. In accordance
with his well known custom, he read
from a tremendous law book, giving ex-
amples of various penalties for carrying
weapons.
Representative Sisson of Mississippi
said that a law against gun and razor
carrying is necessary to stamp out the
evil.
II think the concealed weapon law has
not operated well as 1t stands. The thug
ought to be punished, but by this law the
boy who puts gun In his pocket is
branded as felon and cruelty punished.
ment in one instance might be the right
thing and under another circumstance
might ruin mans career.
Suggests Peace Bonds.
Representative Ollie James OF Ken
lucky said 1t would be more Of
remedy to put habitual pistol carriers
under bond to keep the peace. Repre-
sentative Sisson grew dramatic in his
references to gun carrying and the
American flag. The debate spread to all
parts Of the House. with little illumina-
ton on the subject at issue. Mr.. Sisson
backed up Mr.. Mann's suggestion to
make the punishment more elastic, with
an alternative of a fine
Mr.. Mann offered an amendment to
make the penalty q fine of not more than
$1,000 or not more than three years in
the penitentiary, or both. Representative
Johnson said he would agree II the fine
and penitentiary penalties were coupled.
Il ~