The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-20

Curiositie- i'm Liquidation.

Most people, IL they were 10 invade a
lawyers Office and read some of the laws
that are on the statute books OF the vari-
Gus States. would be considerably surpris-
ed and not little amused. Many of these
have remained on the books because the
people of the State have forgotten that
they are there; others are not enforced.
Some one mas been making collection OF
laws which have been passed in various
States within the last two years. We hays
all heard exasperated individuals say, in
regard to some annoying custom OF daily
life, We'll, IL had my way there would
be a law against that" and one might al
most imagine from a perusal OF this list
OF statutes that there had been laws pass
ed at the whim OF every legislator. II has
been suggested by writer in the Forum"
that il people violating these laws were
all put in Jail. and the severe old Spartan.
Draco, were to make tour OF the jaiis he
would be considerably surprised to find
himself SO far outdone by the American
Republic Of she nineteenth century.
He would find an Alabama man SEN
fenced 10 thirty days Imprisonment FOR
jumping on a train when II was in mo-
tion. He would discover that the penalty
fer riding hores on the sidewalk through
an unincorporateG village in Virginia is
Imprisonment for sixty days. Another
Virglnian would be serving month in
Jail for killing a partridge on the second
day OF February. Still another would be
spending six months in confinement for
using oleomargarine without putting up
sign, in large Roman letters, not less than
one inch square explaining that he used
Imitation butter. A gentleman in Tennes-
see can be put in jail for a month for
throwing a kiss TO a young lady On the OPP
posite side of the street. A New Jersey
man can be sentenced to two years in pris-
on for profanity. or three years for put
ting up an advertisement on some feature
of the landscape. Wisconsin baker can
not sleep in his bakery unless he wishes
10 be fined for the first three offences and
go to Jail fer six months after the fourth
And SO on.
Even pueerer examples of freak iegisla-
ton could doubtless be found, If all the old
laws that are on the statute books and
have never been repealed could be coll
lected into book.
When people read these laws in future
years they will wonder what our civiliza-
ton was like; but. fortunately, the records
OF public affairs are so well kept that with
little investigation 1t may be seen that
the freak laws are not enforced. Gem
orally speaking. 1t is not good TO have a
law on the statute books II it cannot. be
enforced. II tends TO confuse the distinc-
tons between right and wrong in the pub
lie mind. Most-people who haze had to do
with young children know that their per-
captions of right and wrong arc apt to be
very acute. Give them a rule and they
will reason from II 70 right action In !
most logical way. and II is one of the
hardest things in the world to explain TO |
them why a man, whom they have been
taught 10 think good. sometimes does what |
they cannot help seeing to be wrong. This |
inbern perception OF right and wrong on
the part Of youthful human nature is one :