Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-03-08
FREAK BILLS PEHDING
Same Queer Ones Introduced In
Various States.
kNTI-SWEARING III MISSOURI.

Dog Problsms Before the Legislator,
of Maine--Colorado Legislature ASKED
to Prohibit Football-Bacnelor Tas
and Cat Cemetery For tne State oi
Massachusetts.
From time to time weird bill, on sub
| itcts ranging from untitipIIng 10 tax
Ing bachelors have been introduced IN
tie various state legislatures. T,
round up some of the queer bills of.
fCred FOR statesmen 10 ponder upon the
! New York World instructed lis core.
spondchts at prominent capitals to tel.
raph what each delibcrative body
considers its prize performance. ana
/ among them are the following:
/ In Missouri In addition 10 the bin Ia
/ tax bachelors freak bills introduced at
/ this session of the general assembly
/ included DR. TuhbS' autjIippu- bill.
/ which passed the house. but WaS Killed
IN the senate; Mr.. I!ouypu'S hi!l Ia
/ regulate Spendthrifts. to prevent them
/ from di,VoSing of HE money they have
/ Inherited; the Till by Mr.. Carter of
/ Clark 10 prevent under heavy penalty
/ one person from treating another in Il
/ saloon and the bin 10y Mr.. Stapel of
AtchiS"n preventing the Manufacture
and sale Of parlor or popping matches
| IN the state.
\ bill 10y Mr.. Barry of Rails prohib
It, swearing under penalty of a fine Of
from 80 cents To- 81 for every "cuSS"
word uttered. The bill allow, Il person
10 say Darn it," Mr.. Barry SAYS his
measure would have wonderful effect
In purifying the utteranccs Of careless
men with whom swearing is a mean
inGless habit.
Another bill prohibits boys from play
ing ball on vacant lots in the country
and another requires farmers To cut all
the morning glory vines and cookie
burs from their farms.
In Indiana the legislature Is Kidding
the record of foolish bills. one pro-
hihits stray geese aud chickens from
running through his premises. Another
prohibits killing eagles. Of which there
is not one in Indiana Another calls
for $500 fine for walking on the grass
In the statehOuse yard.
Other bills introduced call for We.
man suffrage; one dog to family
without being taxed: prohibiting foot
bali on Sunday; doping" horses TO de
ceive purchasers: fining children who
desert their parents.
An Evansville legislator urged bill
to Nil the theatrical syndicate by max
lng it mlsdem"anOr, punishable by
fine. for the manager of any theater to
refuse the house to any attraction that
might apply for the use of the building
The most talked of bill before the
Maine legislature is one to allow any
person the right 10 kill any dog found
running ut large. This bill was intro
duced by the Rev. Luther +. McKen,
ney of Bridgeton. formerly II congress
man from New Hampshire and mt one
time minister to Colombia. who is
rounding ont his career with term in
the Maine house. Mr.. McKcnuey'S bill
Is entitled An act for the better pro
lection of sheep" ana its author argues
that the deStructiveness of the dogs
Is the real reason for the decline of
sheep husbandry in this state He ad-
yocates 81 license for keeping a male
dog aud SO for u female
Representative Forest J. Martin of
Bangor. dog fancier, has introduced
bin the entire text of which is "A
dog is a domestic animal" If this
should become Il law 1t would be neces-
sary for dog owners to keep their ami
mails at home like other domestic ami
mails
In Colorado the bill that took the
freak premium is that introduced by
request by Representative Albert of
Otero county and labeled a bill to
prohibit football" 1t provides a pen
atty graded according to the frequency
OF the otfenSe and amount Of damage
to the anatomy of any opposing player
Managers and promoters of football
would be heavy contributors in fines
and the players would be classed as
felons should they do serious damage
to an opponent and might be held in
close confinement to await the outcome
of particularly serious case which
might have a fatal termination.
This session of the Massachusetts
great and general court has not been
up TO the average in freak legislation
introduced. The bill to tax bachelors
projected by some Wakefield women.
has not progressed beyond the commit
tee room yet and its fate is doubtful |
A bill for the incorporation of IA ceme- |
terry for pet cats is fathcred by well |
known Newton society women, and |
some of the Legislators take it seri- |
ously.