The Tucson citizen., 1902-03-06

no doubt, freak legislation in the
Arizona statute book, and much time
has been wasted in the consideration of
crude trivial and absurd proposals In
our legislative meetings. But Arizona
is no exception in this line. Websters
and Clays and Calhouns cannot be
picked up every year or two in every
district in either the States or Terri
tories to participate in the making OF
laws Genuine local self-government
springs from compromises between
contending local interests.
The Arizona legislator Is not b:t
more strange and wonderful than the
average statesman selected for like
duty In the States. III measures serious
ly proposed in the Arizona legislature
have caused laughter and amusement.
the States have been treated to sub
stantially similar proposals. "nd let
there is always liable to be good
reason behind even the most amusing
legislative proposal. Among recent
oddities of legislation Is a bill intro
duccd in the Massachusetts legisla-
ture providing for license tex on
cats, The theory advanced by the man
who proposed this legislation is that
there would be fewer cats II the owners
of feline pets had to pay for the plea
sure of possessing them There Is
something to be said In advocacy OF
this measure as eccentric as it may
appear to be. There Is no greater
enemy of man tnan the vagrant cats
which make night hideous with their
fierce debates in alleys and backyards,
Many man who has formed good re-
solutions at New Year Is driven from
the straight and narrow path because
tramp cats persist in holding sym
posiums on his roof or on his back
fence. Any legislation which will per-
manently dissolve the cat~parliaments
that hold allnight sessions during the
spring and summer months would be
a blessing to humanity, would save
many frail mortals from perdition, and
is therefore 10 be commended as a
measure to promote good morals. The
author of the Massachusetts bill has
been denounced as crank" To vic
Tins of feline garrulity he seems to be
a public benefactor--a mane whose
name deserves TO be writ with the
names of those who love their fellow
men.
Another legislator~-this time
Michigan man--has been ridiculed be-
cause he introduced bill providing
that the bill of fare in every resta-
urant, hotel or eating place in his
State shall be printed in the English
language-and in no other language.
There may be few superior mortals
who can eat in French Most OF us.
like the Michigan legislator, can dine
only in our native tongue That the
man from Michigan was justified in
resorting TO extreme measures cannot
he denied He vas hune,r ami wanted
"a good dinner, wlGh variety of
cd bles He ordered his meal from a
French bill OF fare and was served with
potatoes nothing but potatoes cook
ID in seven different ways That Is
enough to make ans man appeaI to the
Legislature for protection from un
scrupulous proprietors of eating
places. who condemn hungry man to /
eat in n tongue Of which he and %
per cent of his fellow citizens are
ignorant All honor 10 the man from
Michigan. He, too. is worthy Of
place among pnllanthropists,
We haven't a doubt that If these
measurers. now pending IN he lcgsla-
lures of tie old States of Massachu-
setts and Michigan. were moved In the
Territorial assembly of Arizona.
great many people would be making
merry at our expense. The fact. IS,
however, that In the good and the bad !
and the Indifferent. Arizona sizes up (
fairly we'll with the States. whether of 7
the North, East. South or West.
-O------~
THE Doctors told me my cough was
n~