The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-30
AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT
The Regulation to Prohibit Expee-
t0rati0n Criticised.
A Correspondent Calls IL an In
fringemcnt on Mems Rights-An-
other Asks an Ordinarce Against
Long skirts Current Notes.

w. y. Reed, of $50 B Street southwest
has written to the Commissioners rela-
tive to the matter of prohibiting splitting
in the streets and in public places. Mr..
Reed expresses the hope that the board
will not sanction the proposed legislation
One reason advanced for this view is that
owing to the large number of visitors in
the city at all times the law would be TO
a great extent imperative. Continuing
Mr.. Reed says:
The absurd theory advanced as to the
connection of splitting with the public
health should not be considered. Men
have been splitting from the beginning of
time. Even Methuselah and his contem-
poraries spat, though I believe there was
q solemn conclave Of doctors assembled
once who declared that Methuselah ought
not to have lived SO long, as he exploded
their pet theories.
THE ordinary man has to work too
hard to be put under a high rein and bit
on all occasions. He contributes about
all that is worth having to our municipal
surroundings, and If he wants to spit, let
him. like the free American citizen he
has always been. Let him chew his own
tobacco and spit where he pieases. trust
ing to his own good sense and taste not
to impure his neighbor. We have as many
regulations as we can dodge now. A SD
preme Court judge could not walk from
the Capitol to the White House without
getting in Jail If he depended upon his
knowledge of the police regulations in
stead OF his luck.
This suggestion comes primarily from
the women, because of their insane de-
sire to drag a number Of yards OF dry
goods in the mud. The man who is IN
fortunate enough to be obliged to get up
at O'Clock in the morning and hustle
till midnight tE a s. coat in order to buy
a lot OF Useless diapery for a woman
vain encegh TO pile it on herself and too
lazy to hold it up, instead Of being re-
stricted. ought to be allowed to SPIT and
the whole public should spit until she
takes off that long trail Of skirts ] think
IT eminently proper that the Commission
ers should ordain that all women who
wear street sweepcrs should take the mid
die Of the street and join forces with the
white wings.
Please do not pass the proposed ordi-
nance, as a mere man Is yet entitled to
some consideration.
The Commissioners have also received
letter from Thomas W. Gilner on the
subject OF a similar vein. He asks that
the ordinance be not passed. He calls
attention to the fact that some good people
agitated this subject about two years ago,
and that a regulation was proposed and
that the Health officer at that time op-
posed its enactment and gave good rea-
SONS therefor. Now he wants to know
why the Health Officer has changed his
mind.
MIR. Gilmer says that the long trains of
women are more disgusting than the spit
ting habit lie suggests that regulation
be adopted prohibiting long skirts or
leag1llng their wearers with the street
sWeepers- MIR. Gilmer asks that II the
''ui<ase" is to be promulgated that 1t be
amended so as to exempt the alleys, as
men VIII certainly have to have some
place to spit.
Mintu 7. Key, Of Sl3 / Street northwest,
has also addressed the Commissioners on
the subject Of the splitting ordinance and
Is opposed TO its PRONUNCIATION. He says
that II II Is to become part OF the law
OF the District on the ground, as some