"FREAK" LAWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2883, 23 June 1909, Page 88

"FREAK" LAWS.

BACHELORS, BABIES, AND HATPINS. 'A telegram from New York to the Lonidoa press states that a bill has beea Introduced Into the Arkansas Lcßifclatuio

making the game of football illegal, and punishable by a heavy fine. This is only one instance of American "freak" legislation (says the Observer), and may be parelleled by a. host of curious laws now undei consideration in various States. From the list given below it will be seen that bachelors and babies are the chief subjects foi legislative experiment, the one in the way of suppression, and the other in the way of encouragement :—

In New York. — To establish water waggons for the carrying through the streets of habitual drunkards. To protect bashful brides and grooms from the stares of the curious, by allowing them to send marriage applications by a messenger. To compel automobile owners to insure their lives for lO^OOOdol, for the benefit of their widows.

In New Jensey. — To make every saloonkeeper provide tea and coffee for patrons, and give the bar-tenders a percentage on all "soft" drinks, so they wilJ be induced to sell less alcoholic.

In Illinois. — To limit the. length of women's hatpins to 9in, and make them take out permits for longer ones, just like all other deadly weapons. To prohibit ! bachelors from being called " Mister," J their first or last aames only being used. ' so that no one csa be deceived. To prohibit drunkards from marrying, stipulating that every bridegroom must make an affidavit that he has not been intoxicated more than twice during the previous year. To force applicants for marriage to submit a libt of previous marriages and divorces. i

In Kansas. — To stamp out "affinities.' To tax bachelors over 45.

In lowa. — To authorise the county Treasurer to pay Idol for every baby born.

In Texas. — To make it a criminal offence to swear- over the telephone. To make it a .penitentiary offence to -steal a chicken. Tc require all drinkers of alcoholic liquors to take out a sdoi license. In Colorado. — To make it a misdemeanour to give or take a tip, excepting only the sleeping-car porter class. In Nebraska. — To make all hotels have bed sheets 9ft long, clean towels, and disinfect all linen once a season.

In Maine. — To tax all bachelors over 30 lOdol a year, the sum to be used as a pension fund for spinsters. In Michigan. — To prohibit the professional prophet from predicting, and making spiritualism, clairvoyance, and palmistry unlawful.

In Oregon. — To prohibit women's hatpins more than 9in long, anything else to be declared a deadly weapon. To force hotels to provide 9ft bed-sheets of linen or good cotton. In Delaware. — To tax bachelors and gypsies,- both of whom, are regarded as undesirable citizens.

In - New Mexico. — To require a sdol license from all persons who wish to drink alcoholic liquors, the license to be showu at each time of asking. In Alaska. — To make all school teachers, men and women, policemen, with power to arrest all unruly "students" of from 15 up to 50. In Utah. — To make it a misdemeanour not to bathe at least once a week.

And there is a law before Congress to provide three Presidents for the United States — one for the East, one for the Middle West, and a third foi the^ Pacific Coast.