The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-06
IT WAS 4 DRAW
The Fight Over Closing Parks
Sundays.
Ordinance Passed, but It is Not
Effective.

"A CAnch Ia tAAC 18SuC OvCA eAAO 4uSS-
tion Of the enforcement OF q Sabbath
observance ordinance resulted In q
draw before the city commission today.
Tho Rev. J. D. zimmerman, three
other ministers and probably q half
dozen women represented the forces In
favor Of closing. Otis Hungate. attor-
ney, several men and four women op-
posed to the closing OF amusements In
the parks on Sunday were also on hand.
But the dog question was also up and
it was difficult to determine just which
issue caused any particular person to
be present. The room in which the
commission met was crowded.
Everything started off lovely for the
Sabbath observance ordinance. When
the ordinance was called UP for second
reading, Mayor Cofran asked IL any OF
the ladies present wished to be heard
on the matter. None spoke. He then
asked II the Rev. Zimmerman wished to
make any remarks. The rev. lin
norman replied that as long as there
appeared to be. no opposition. he did not
feel it necessary to say anything Otis
Hungate had been seated near the door
of the room. He. had, lugged with him
a huge petition. 1t was 30 big he could
scarcely get his arm around it. It was
bigger than Capt P.-H H. Coney's petit
tfon on the dog question and the cap
tain had stated that his petition was 127
feet long and bore z,5O0 signatures.
Hungate's petition seemed to be twice
as thick.
Just before the closing ordinance
was taken up Hungate carelessly with
drew from the room. He was not
present when remarks were called for.
He dropped in as the ordinance waa
being read and passed section by sec
ton, but appeared to take little in
terest in the proceeding. He wae
present when the vote on second
a
word. He did not raise his voice when
the motion was put for third and final
passage.
The four ministers sat together In
| one corner of the room. There were
pleased and satisfied expressions or
their faces. The final vote was taken
and the mayor and all four commits
sioners voted IN favor of the passage
of the ordinance.
Porter's Motion.
And then just before an expression
of thanks could be offered by the
ministers. w. L. Porter, city commits.
sioner of parks, remarked that he had
a motion to make bearing on the or
dinance just passed. His motion wa.
in writing and as follows:
That the mayor shall not enforc,
the ordinance except he be author
lied 90 to do by a resolution passes
by a a5ority vote OF the city com
fmission.'' - = .
I The mayor and the four. commits
sioners voted unanimously in favor o
tPorter's motion.
| In the meantime, Otis Hungate, rep
resenting the opposition to Sunda!
closing, had nonchalantly walked
away, bearing his huge petition will
him.
/ The city commissioners proceeded t.
other business.
| The four ministers in the corner be
gan to stir in their chairs. Then the,
put their heads together in consulta
ton, following which the Rev. Zim
norman arose to inquire.
Preacher Called 1t q Farce.
| He wanted to know the meaning o
! Porter's motion. The mayor startes
| to explain, but apparently the Rev
Zimmerman did not need any explana