The San Francisco call., 1899-02-19
OTHER :cRANKS THah OURS.

Y 7 HTLE. we are fretted by the number and
" (A{ variety of freak bills introduced into our Leg
! E's slatiire we may find some consolation in the
thought that we haven't ali the legislative cranks IN
the country and that there other commonwealth
even more ~teasingly tormented than our own
NehaXe recently directed attention to the efforts OF
n Kansan Populist to establish a system OF imper-
sorai easiatori in that State by the enactment OF
law requiring all bills to be strictly anonymous That
itself was fairly good freak, and would have been
better thana bill for the protection OF
: sensitive sO0ns since if no mans name were attached
to a1y proposed measure of legislation the cartQoners
would never know whom to picture, and their occu
patton would be gone.
:Nrotfer freak is that OF Assembyman Daggett OF
Bear Greek, Wisconsin, who desires to produce a
finer Vonanhood in that commonwealth, and has
.=thereiore introduced a bill for the protection OF
misses, old maids and married women" The act
proposes to. declare tiglt-acng misdemeanor and
provides penalty for all who practice it 1t seems
tela fronT Bear Creek believes that all classes OF
ladies' including old maids get all the squeezing
=: that is wholesome for them without resortlng to
:. 6orsets The difficulty OF determining what constl-
tutes tight-lacing and OF proving the commission OF
tile ofe72se would make the operation OF the act an
.. extremely complex and would undoubtedly re-
suit in some of the most interesting cases that have
: ever arisen in our courts.
En- Illinois Legislator proposes 10 make IL UNLAWFUL
10 use woens pictures either in newspapers or else
Where:for advertising purposes. The pictures with
which our magazines are so profusely adorned
:: showing all forms of feminine underwear displayed
on the feminine person to be barred out. Neither
would II be permissible to the portrait OF a
!: woman as an advertisement of tooth powder cos
I9etes or a. hair preserver In short, the feminine
form divine would disappear from the realm OF the
high art Of commerce, and not could be used
even to- decorate cigarette package.
:. Oklahoma, however, bears away the palm In that
and aspires to statehood the whole Legislature
*SeGnis- to have gone freak rampage. 1t is re-
ported that the sole passed by this extraor
binary body bill appropriating $4,000 for extra
clerk hire. The Legislature had employed twenty
enrolling and engrossing clerks, at compensation OF
So day each and the only task which devolved upon
them was the enrolling and engrossing of this single
BILL which carried with it appropriations for the pay
ment of their wages When the stony-hearted Gov
vetoed this bill because of its extravaganza the
Legislature became suddenly frugal and devoted it
self cutting down the appropriations for the
tive department. 1t was willing to allow only
partment for one year, including the Secretary's
salary the payment of clerks rent, fuel, furniture
books, records, stationery, postage, etc.
. Beyond. that example it is not worth while to 60
When freaks begin to practice economy instead o
moral. reform it is time to call halt. Let us be
satisfied that we live in California. If we should fly
from our Legislature we would be likely to fall into
worse state.