Graham guardian., 1910-06-17
LEGISLATIVE FREAKS
Many Remarkable Bills In.
troduced for the Cure
Of Prevailing Ills

Americans have curious mania
for legislation as means of curing
all the ills of the body, political and
domestic. The universal remedy,
advocated by the Chess Queen in
Alice in Wonderland, was off with
his head" The universal remedy
with the American public seems to
be, Make law agin it." Some
times, of course, freak bills are in
troduced into the legislature merely
to enliven the tedium of the day;
but a glance over the current sum-
mary of pending bills, which is sent
out by the Law Reporting Company,
shows the following bills which
seems to have been proposed in
good faith and with serious intent:
To make it a misdemeanor to
shoot at a balloon, aeroplane, or any
form of flying machine" This comes
from Ohio. the home of the Wrights.
Undoubted there will be consola-
ton for the shot aviator in realizing
that his assailant is really guilty of
a misdemeanor.
Illinois presents bill to abolish
political parties, destroy representa-
tive republican government, and
place the same in the hands of cer-
tain newspaper editors and million
aires" That seems fairly compre-
hensive and sufficiently revolution
ary to justify at least moments
consideration.
There is bill in the South Caro-
lima Legislature to prevent expos
ure for sale of dressed meats with
out production Of head and ears"
The question naturally arises wheth-
er the same head and ears will serve
for each steak and roast cut from a
given steer, and what would hap
pen to the unfortunate butcher if
he got things mixed.
From Kentucky, difficult as it
may be to believe, comes bill TO
prohibit drinking on common car
riers" We have always under
stood that Kentucky had a prejudice
against ice water as a beverage,
but to completely prohibit its use
on railway trains does seem to be
going rather too far.
Allegheny county, Maryland, must
be in parlous state, for a bill has
been introduced in the Maryland
legislature to require daily reading
of Holy Bible in public schools of
Allegheny county, 1t is hardly
too much to say that this distinction
looks inviduous.
Ohio also had bill permitting
township school board clerks to is
sue vouchers for the payment of
teachers salaries. !" One questions
whether it is also necessary to have
legislative permission" to pay the
butcher, the baker and the candle
stick maker in Ohio.
Another Kentucky bill is TO pro-
hibit treating in saloons" Query:
Does Prohibition prohibit? Ken.
lucky is obliged to struggle with
spiritual as we'll as with spirituous
problems, as is indicated by another
pending bill to prevent religious
worship in assemblages knewn as
camp meetings" What, in the
name of wonder, does the Kentucky
legislature expect people to do
then at camp meetings?
If Kentucky can succeed in MAX
ing effective another of it's present
bills, to prevent walters and serv-
ants accepting tips in restaurants
and hotels" other states will, un=
doubtedly, follow in her legislative
footsteps. One can see, with the
eye of imagination, the law-abiding
waiter resolutely putting aside the
extended quarter, with the air of
naughty and conscientious rectitude.
A bill to require railroad COM
panies to provide face towels upon
passenger trains" comes from South
Carolina.
TO designate the tobacco leaf as
the official State flower" Is natural
ly from Kentucky.
De minimis non curet lex; but
not so the Kentucky legislator. He
has introduced a bill to prohibit
the unlawful issue, exchange or
giving away of street railway trans
fer tickets" No longer may the
economical citizen of Kentucky.
who frugally uses the discarded
transfer ticket of his fellow traveller,
have to deal alone with his con-
science and the police power. He
will be "up against" the legislative
branch Of his State government
The Docket.