The weekly soliphone. (Paragould, Greene County, Ark.) 1907-1918, 1915-03-05
CONVENT INSPECTION
BILL PASSES SENATE
Measure Denounced as Founded on
Malice and Bigotry-Debate is
Heated.

senators Tuesday afternoon made
remarkable fight against the Posey-
Steel convention inspection bill, but
they were assaulting an impregnable
position, and in spite of their siren
uous efforts the bill was passed, %
to s.
This bill, aimed directly at the
Catholic institutions of the state, but
in order to reach them, putting all
private hospitals and similar insti-
tutions under its provisions, was
met with a motion from Senator
Jones of Pulaski when it was called,
to place back on the second reading
for the purpose of exempting Pulaski
county by amendment. His PROPOSE
ton was met with an avalanche of
opposition, the senate voting IL to
against any further postponement in
the bill, and followed it with mo-
ton for previous question, thus linn
iting the debate to 80 minutes a side
in closing.
No one offered to speak for the
bill and Senator Jones began against
it. He asserted that it was meas
ure founded on malice, bigotry and
prejudice, in addition to which it was
unconstitutional He declared that
the majority of the large Catholic
institutions were located in Little
Rock, but there was no demand
among the people of this city to force
such an unreasonable measure upon
them. In his argument Senator
Jones spoke of the biased committee
of the senate to which the bill had
been referred, when he was inter-
rupted by Senator Cabiness, who OBJ
iected to insinuations concerning the
committee.
81 won't express all of my opinion
of that committee" was the bitter
and sarcastic retort of the senator
from Pulaski.
eff this senate had the proper re-
ligion in it's heart, it would not have
the desire to entertain such a pre-
indeed measure as this was one of
the many pointed expressions of Sen
ator Jones, who rallied at the opposi-
ton for limiting his debate to 80
minutes, but he finally yielded, with
10 minutes left, to Senator Going.
Under this bill any institution of
the state can be ruined in week,
demurred Senator Going IF the
sheriff or his deputies so desire, for
it gives them the power to make in
spection at any time. This bill dis
plays the mailed hand of prejudice,
and is clothed with envenomed hate.
1t will drive the patients from the
institutions if the half-drunken Off
GERS appear there in the middle of
the night a few times. | do not say
this is going to happen, but it is pos
sible for the officers to so conspire,
and carry out their schemes.
"They tell you this bill is for all
institutions, but I'll wager that if you
take out the reference to converts
il will go to its death in race horse
fashion"
When Senator Going had spoken
10 minutes Senators Bush and Cabi-
ness made strenuous efforts to have
him stopped under the rules, which
brought Senator Calvert to the de-
tense of Senator Going. He declar-
ed that the bill encroaches on the
rights of the people and on the free
dom of worship. He pleaded with
the senate to settle the question as
intelligent men and not as fanatics.
He stated that he was convinced that
there was religion enough to go
around, and permit all to follow con-
science. Senator Bush objected to a
continuation, saying that Senator Go
ing had been instrumental in making
the rule which would cut off his de-
bate, and that he was taking the
time to abuse those who opposed his
views. Senators Ashley, Garrett and
Edmondson, stating they intended to
vote for the bill, asked that Senator
Going be allowed to proceed with his
argument, which he did with the con-
sent of a large majority of the sen
ate, taking ) minutes in as master
full address upon personal and relig-
iOus liberties as was ever heard in
the senate chamber. He called par
ticular attention to the number of
Catholic institutions in Little Rock
and that the principal hospital is