Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-02-21
a0RE RErORM LEGISLATION

~
Freak Iegislation ~ We came 70
designate e. used 10 be some years
ago expected So matter of course TN
the slEtlngs 81 the law-making body Of
the state OF Kansas. II particularly
arrived iii the days Of sockiess Jerry
Simpson. Carrie Nation and others Of
their type. there appearing 70 be an
snusualiy fertile crop OF ideas about
that period, and an unusually large
nuTnbar pf the originators Of them sue
ceedlng Ia breaking into the legisla
turs of the state where they could pro-.
claim their reforms TO the world and
have : fair chance Of having them en-
bodied into laws.
At that time and since, wonlen's ~
tire has been the subject OF great
deal Of futila attempts to govern and
haa been gayorite target for fool leg
saIators TO shoot al III many states
TIE reault has been to accomplish
nothlng further than great deal Of
good copy for the paragraplers and
make the life OF the cartoonist easier.
freak and ultra reform legislation
failed because Of the extremist idea
presented.
but now comes what may be con
I adhered as really serious menace.
And this time Ii Is not the petticoats
0R the women who are threatened. In
ataau IL ii man and his inseparable
srfsnd- tobacco.
State Senator Kline, 81 Indiana,
sruuced Id the Hoeaier Legislature
bill the other day providing that no
Saan addicted to the use Of tobacco Ii
any form should be permitted 70 hold
public once II Il very improbable
that this bill should ever become 8
law pet Ii ID none the less significant
Oe the extremist reform movement
which usually follows reform Vie
tory. II Ii not many years ago that
there were few who would not have
gC06ed III the idea that national pro-
hihatiOn would Be on the eve or en-
gOrcement III February, 1918 And,
though We may scout now the idea
that anti-tobalcco legislation will ever
ha passed vet 1t ii almost as much
within me possibilities as liquor pro-
hibation Legislation. Several states
have auti-cigarette laws even now. al
though Il n true that they are not en-
forced
But this anti-tobaeco bill Of the In
diana senator's must be taken
seriously as ii Is something more
khEn the freak legislation by which.
we have been amused ii times
past Not that there need be imme
diate fear Of the passing or enforce
mens of such laws The country isl
not ripe yet for such sweeping re-
forms despite the prohibition victory
But the bill Of this senator Ii signifl-
cant or what may be expected to be
the thought snd purpose Of the ultra
Feforner IN the not too far distant fu-
ture.
We do not know Senator Kline: we
confess TO no overwhelming desire to-
know him But he evidently IL man
@ho has an exalted opinion OF him
self and the once he holds He would
segregate the office-hoiders from the
proletariat is men 81 superior clay
Ne clothes hia petty once with too
much dignity and takes himself too
seriously To those of us who can
get the right perspective OF life this
type Of pompous. once holding digni-
tary who feels that he looks down
upon the plebian masses from lofty
heights furnishes US with amusement
for We see him ais ne really Isl But
such men. because they are inevitably
marrow. may well be menace 10 9TH
ers og broader views who mistakenly
tolerate them III places of authority
While there Is little likelihood that
Senator Kline may live to see the world
purified by the obliteratfon 81 tobacco
jet Ii II possible that his influence,
and others Of his kind, inay yet bring
about return nf the old Connecticut
blue Law In regard to. the use OF To-
bacco. which read
Eogasmuch ais Il Ii observed, that
many abuses are crspt Id and COM
mitsed. BY frequent taking tohako, 1T is
ordered by the authorities 81 this
court that no person under Tie age
or Fl years nor any other. that hath
not already accustomed himself to
the use thereof shall take any tohako
until he hath brought certificate un-
der the hands OF some who are APP
pred Tor knowledge and skill In
phisick, that II Is usefal for him. and
alse, that ne hath received 8 license
from the court, Gor aasaa and for the
regulation 81 those. Mho either ~
shelr former taking 4. have to their
own apprshsnai0ns. made Il necessary
~ them, o. upon dsse a6vice are per
ssa.Aed 10 u ~ User tAaEso "