The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-04-02
RALPH HICKS
Idaho Falls, Idaho.

or the making OF laws there is nc
end; and much legislation is a weari-
less unto the spirit.
There seems to be mania prevail
ing among legislative bodies in these
times for regulating every overt act
of human life by statute. One would
think a willy germ lurked in the
dusky corners of the assembly halls,
hiding behind the cobwebs, perhaps,
to come forth at every session and in
noculate each solon with its deadly
virus. Else why this passion for
blue laws and black laws, billiard
laws and card laws, liquor laws and
drug laws, Sunday laws and holiday
laws, fresh-air laws and tango laws?
Measures have been passed in some
of the states this year requiring pool
rooms to close at 10 o'clock in the
evening; prohibiting modern" dane
ing; regulating the transparency of
women's clothing; making it a crime
to drink liquor or have it in possess
sion, and penalizing the second Of
Tense by making it felony; and so
on all down the line. Things which
we have heretofore considered purely
personal Understanding of our
daily lives with which we have al
ways resented interference, have be-
come the subject of solemn legisla-
tive action.
No doubt some of these laws are
salutary so, no doubt, would be
measures prescribing social inter-
course between the youngsters of OPP
posite sex until they have reached
the age of majority.
Let us by all means forbid by law
the pernicious practice of married
men speaking to married women as
they pass on the street.
Let the charms of our women he
yelled, that no man be led into error
instrument of Sabbath dissertation,
be abolished.
Let us make it felony to drink
ice cream sodawater.
Let us punish, by Imprisonment at
hard labor, those who sleep in closed
rooms.
Let us hang the man who shores
in church.
Let him who fails, neglects or re-
fuses to be shaved regularly each day
receive 40 stripes with the bastinado
for each offense.
All courtships should be conducted
under the supervision of a committee
of five matrons, who should attend
the prospective bride at each visit of
the young man, observe the pair min
utely, and, when the application for
license is made, certify their determi-
nation as to the desirability of the
match up to the court of domestic re-
lations.
All applications by women to pur-
chase perfumes, hair goods, cosmetics
or other beautifiers should be made
to the county supervisor who, on be-
satisfied that the applicant is want
ing in good faith, may refuse per-
NIT.
These things are no more absurd
than great deal Of present day leg
islative action would have been con-
sidered 2 5years ago.. They are not
among the impossibilities. The clear
trend of legislation is to go farther
to encroach even more closely upon
the individual prerogatives of the cit
izen; to hem him about with rules
and restrictions.
This is not conductive to liberty.
Law and freedom are inseparable, it
is true. But too much law is not
good for liberty.
Water is necessary to sustain life;
but a man can be drowned in water.
We are being smothered with laws,
choked with them, drowned in them!
If the present madness is allowed
to continue to subsist until its logi-
cal result is reached, no individual
freedom will be possible.
And the next step is tyranny.