"FREAK" LAWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9225, 24 June 1909, Page 7

"FREAK" LAWS.

/ A telegram from New York to I the London press states that a bill | has been introduced into the Arkansas Legislature making the games of football illegal, and punishable by a heavy fine. This is only one instance of American "freak" legislation (says the London "Observer"), and may be paralleled by a host of' curious laws now under consideration in various States. From the list given below it will be seen that bachelors and babies are the chief subjects for legislative experiments, the one in the way of supression. and the other in the way of encouragement. 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 ap- I plications by messenger. To compel J automobile owners to insure their J lives fcr lO.OQOeo!., for the benefit i cf their widows.

In New Jersey.--To make every srLonkeeper provide tea and ci.ffed for patrons and give the bartenders a percentage of all "soft" drinks, so they will be inducedto sell less alcoholic.

Illinois.—To limit the length of worr.en'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," their first or last names only being used, so that no one can 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 list of previour marriages and divorces. In Kansas.—To stamp out "affinities." To tax bachelors over 45 dol. a year, 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. To require all drinkers of alcoholic liquors to take out a 5 do. license. In Colorado.—To make it a misdemeanour to give or take a tip. excepting or.ly the sleepintr-cur uurter class.

In Nebrabka. —To make all hotels have bed sheets 9ft long, clean towels and disinfect all lir.en once a season In Maine.—To tax all bachelors over 30 lOdol. a year, the sum to be used r.s a pension furd fur spinsters. In Michigan.—To prohibit the professional proph-.-t from predicting, and making spirtualism, clairvoyance, and palmistry In Oregon.—To prohibit women's hatpins more than 9in. long, anything else to be declared a deadly w.eapon. To force hotel.-? to provide 9ft bedding 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 shown at each time of asking. In Alska.—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 Con gress to provide three Presidents for the United States, one for the East, one for the Middle West, and a third for the Pacific Coast,