The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-16
MANY FREAK BILLS.
Flood of Unique Measures ventiiat.
ina Grievances Is introduced.
Chicago Tribune. }


The present legislative session has
resulted in a larger crop than usual of
freak bills in the legislatures of the
various states. They relate TO reforms
on almost every conceivable subject,
and most of them had their incubation
in the real or supposed grievance of
their sponsors.
One of the members OF the Wisconsin
legislature evidently has had dis
agreeable experience with the bed
sheets in the hotels at which he has
stopped. He has introduced a bill in
the senate of that state requiring that
the sheets shall be nine feet long and
be folded over the quilts. They also
must be changed and disinfected every
day. The measure has been favorably
acted on by a committee.
A legislator in Indiana wants to pro-
hibit chickens and geese from running
through his premises. Another would
prohibit the killing of eagles, of which
there is not one in the state. Still an
other thinks so much of the lawn
around the state house that he would
fine any one $500 for walking on the
grass.
MissOurians must be a profane lot.
Representative Barry has introduced a
Fill prohibiting swearing under penalty
of a fine of from so cents to 81 for every
a person to say Darn it" Ma Barry
says his measure would have a won
derful effect i'm purifying the utter
ances of careless men with whom
swearing is a meaningless habit.
Spendthrifts also need looking after
there. it seems. Representative Hous-
ton thinks they should be regulated.
He has introduced a bill to prevent
them from making away with the
money they may inherit.
Mr.. Carter from the same state, rec
ognizes the growth of the drink habit
from the practice of treating and has
fathered a bill to prevent, under heavy
penalty, the treating Of one person by
another in a saloon.
Representative Stapl wants parlor
matches barred from the state
|. Down in Kansas the legislators, by
request, changed the name of a man
because he didn't like it. They have
had nothing but trouble since. 1t seems
that the man. whose name was Denolf,
forgot to include the name of his wife
in the bill changing his name to Bell.
Mrs. DenOh became suspicious at once
She suspected trick and refused to
warm up TO the excuses made by her
lord and master.
She told him to take the first train
for Topeka and get busy. How faith
LulAy Alt Cdllltu Oul iAlS VIII De
seen by the announcement that there
is no more energetic lobbyist at Topeka
than Mr.. Bell (nee Denolf). He makes
daily reports on the progress of the
family measure to Mrs. Denolf, and
says he expects to get the necessary
law enacted to get the family together
again. His plight has attracted the
attention of the legislators, and they
are rushing his bill through so that he
can return home.
The most talked-of bill before the
Maine legislature is one to allow any
person the right to kill any dog found
running at large. This bill was intro
duced by Rev. Luther F. McKenney of
Brideeton. formerly a congressman
from New Hampshire. and at one time
minister to Colombia, who is rounding
out his career with a term in the Maine
house. Mr.. McKenney's bill is entitled
An act for the better protection of
sheep" and its author argues that the
destructiveness of the dogs is the real
reason for the decline of sheep hus-
bandry in this state. He advocates a
g license for keeping a male dog and
81 for a female.
Representative Forest J. Martin of
Bangor, a dog fancier, mas introduced
a bill. the entire text of which is "A
dog is a domestic animal If this
SnOulQ become law IL would De neceS-
sary for dog owners to keep their ami
mails at home like other domestic ami
mails.
During the last week the governors
Of three states-Indiana, Iowa. and Mis-
sOuri-have signed measures ordering
2-cent fares on railroads in those states
Eight states now have laws requiring
low fares on railroads-namely, Ala
bama, Arkansas. Indiana, Iowa, Mis-
sissippi, Missouri West Virginia and
Wisconsin. The 2-cent bill in Nebraska
will become law this week without the
governors signature.
In six other states-Illinois, Minneso-
"a, Michigan, North Carolina, Kansas
and PeInsylvania-bills for a reduction
in fares are pending.
In Minnesota and North Carolina the
enactment of a 2-cent bill seems as
sured.
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