San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-25
In THE LEGISLATURE
Uproar Comes Over Amend
ment to Anti-evolu-
ton Proposal.
ALL DARWIN'S FAULT
Law-maker Would Allow
Blacks to Be Taught
Monkey Theory.

Austin, Tex, Feb. e4.--The House
was thrown into an uproar this after
noon when Representative Hendricks,
Of Ellis. offered an amendment to
the SHREDDER authorization bill, known
as the monkey BILL" which was
under consideration, tosexemnt the
Prairie View normal, on Institution
for negroes, and the Grubbs vocation
al college, located at Arlington, from
the provisions OF the measure.
Demands came from all over the
House that the amendment be with
drawn. the principal objection 10 the
amendment being that it connected
the GrubbS college with a negro
school.
Hendricks declined TO withdraw his
amendment, whereupon Representa-
tive Rountree raised the point of
order that it was not germane. The
speaker overruled the point of order.
As the unroar grew stronger, Hen
bricks withdrew the amendment.
Sharp Tilt For Two Hours.
For two hours the House debated
the bill, which seeks to prohibit the
teaching of the evolution theory,
either Darwinian or theistic, in state
supported schools, and there were
some sharp Tits.
When the measure was taken up.
the author offered an amendment
eliminating the penalty clause and
providing that the teaching of the
evolutionary theory as a fact would
be unlawful.
While Representative Price was
speaking to his motion, he was in
terrupted by Representative Stroder,
who asked if Price believed in free
love.
"What Kind OF Free Lover"
"What kind OF free love-Ella
Wheeler Wilcox, or what kind of doc
trine?" Price shouted back Mt
SHREDDER, and he added: "You 20 to
the temple, to the synagogue, to the
church and to the public forum, with
your peculiar doctrine, but for Gods
sake, save the Texas Legislature from
passing upon such question"
Representative Howeth moved to
table the Price amendment and the
motion prevailed. G2 to 80. 1t was
then that Hendricks offered his
amendment that the provisions of the
bill shall not apply TO Prairie View
normal and Grubbs college.
After it had been withdrawn the
House adjourned.
RapS "Free-LOyism."
Defending his bill, SHREDDER denounc-
ed the theory of evolution in scath-
ing terms, declaring it was "implant-
ed in this country by emisSaries of
the devil who emigrated from Ger
many, France and England He in
sisted that any man "who believes in
evolution in its materialistic sense"
as "an ATHEIST of the worst FORM" He
severely arraigned socialism. bolshe-
vism, free lovism," materialism and
anaarchism, declaring that each was
akin to the evolutionary theory.
1t was asserted by Representative
Howeth that evolution was "the
anti-tithesis of everything scripturnl. ="
The theory. he said, would "under-
mine the Bible, because it disputes
the Geneses account Ct creation and,
in time. would destroy civilization"
In offering the amendment to strike
out the cnacting clause, Representa-
tive Frice, OF Morris, asserted that |
: the word of God needs no aid or
defense from the Texas Legislature.
It would be as logical, he declared,
TO send Texas rangers TO New |
Ierasulem to defend it against VIC |
ence" as it would be for the Legis- |
allure to seek to defend the Bible |
against the alleged baneful effects of /
evolution teachings.
Darwin Has Defender.
Price expressed the belief that eff |
Jesus Christ were in the House, he
would condemn the Stroller oweth |
pill on the ground that it restricts
rec speech, free thought and free
conscience. 1t savors of fanaticism
md witchcraft and would do credit
o the Spanish inquisition. 1 do not
believe the Legislature has any right
10 set itself up as an arbiter of |
scientific and religious issues"
The bill was characterized BY Rep
'esentative Miller. Of Parker, as the
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