The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING, SATURDAY, MAY, 13, 1911.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3217, 13 May 1911, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING, SATURDAY, MAY, 13, 1911.

Every year the United States produces

a weird crop of freak bills, and this year is

Freak Bills.

proving no exception to the .rule. For instance, one finds .that Representative W. P. Miller, a married legislator of Muskogee, has introduced a bill imposing a fine of oOdcl. on the wife or sweetheart of any member of the Legislature who visits Oklahoma City while the Legislature is in session without giving written notice. Miller says there is too much spooning going on. Ten members have been married since the Legislature was convened 70 days ago. Then again, two bills identical in all respects are pending before the House in Nebraska. It shall be a misdemeanor (they provide), for any woman 1 to appear in a public place wearing a hatpin with the point uncovered and exceeding 7in, in length. Another bill which has aroused much interest begins with a preamble in which it is recited 1 that the trading of votes has become a scandal in legislative circles; that bad laws are made by trades and that good laws- cannot bo passed by “log-rolling.” The bill provides that every measure must be passed on its own merits, and that a bid for support made on the promise of a “trade vote” shall make the legislator liable to a fine of SOOdol., imprisonment for 30 days, or both. Hobble., harem, and hoop skirts 'are to B e put under the ban in. Illinois if Representative Murphy’s bill is passed l . Chicago modistes ridicule the idea that lawmakers can dictate the fashions. The enacting clause reads :—“lt shall be unlawful for any female to appear upon any public street or thoroughfare or in any public place or building wearing what is commonly known as a “hobble skirt” measuring not more than one and onehalf yards in circumference, at the bottom thereof. No. female shall appear in any public place or any. street or thoroughfare in the garb, of what is known as a ‘harem skirt.’ ” The penalty is a fine of not less than lOdol. From Austin in Texas, ;, comes the. news that in/ response to a petition signed by young women of Mazatlan, Representative. Patrick Dunn, of Corpus Christi, has introduced a. bill to prohibit the. use, sale, dr manufacture of false hair, false teeth, wooden legs, and hobble- skirts in Texas. Dunn says that many of his colleagues have advised! him of their intention to support the measure. Representative Nesbitt is working for his bill providing for the establishment of a State farm, for prairie dogs. He claims that a big ancl profitable industry could be founded, as the prairie dog is as edible as a. squirrel, and Texas could raise enough to meet the demands of the eastern market. War on the mosquitoes'is the object of a-measure introduced in the Delaware Assembly by Senator Dutton. If his bill should happen to be passed every effort will he

.<« t® abolish the mosquito in Seaydl which is the legislator’s home. A 'fTOsasure to which was signed the, name of Senator Ellison reads: —“An Act to ■abolish old bachelors from, the State Senate.” Senator Ellison is the oldest bachelor in the Senate, and someone put his name to the Act without authorisation. Several bald-headed, senators are interested in an Act providing for an investigation to ascertain of Senator Pierce’s fertiliser will “grow” hair. Before the Dakota Parliament at present, it appears, is a bill which has been introduced by Representative iStuvernd:, and proposes to limit the length of hatpins and dictating to women the manner in which they should, dress their hair for attendance at the theatre, the church, | or other public assemblage. Of interest also is the fact, that Representative L. H. Schott,' a disciple of Ike Walton, has introduced a billi in this State, t» prohibit the killing of crawfish. Crawfish' are highly esteemed in these parts asi bait for bass fishing, and they are getting mightily scarce around Schott’s home. • Representative W. L. Guard, of Champaign County, has introduced a bill to prohibit the taking or killing of coons by smoking them out of their dens. Coon-hunters are against the bill'to a man. Among other measures of a similar kind is one brought forward by Representative Champion of Ardmore, who would make it a disd'emeanor to give or receive a tip. Even freaks themselves have not been overlooked, for one finds that in Oklahoma State, Senator E. M l . Landrum, the half-bred Cherokee Indian, who gained fame for his bill forbidding the use of wooden Indians as cigar signs, has introduced a measure, which, if passed, would give a knock-out wallop to the freak business. It provides a maximum fine of lOOdol. for exhibiting an ossified man, a bearded lady, a “human skeleton,” or “any human, being who, on account of the peculiar workings of nature, may be termed a freak, deformity or malformation. Of course it does pot follow that time is found to deal with all the “crank” measures which are brought forward. . Still much legislation of this nature is adopted in various States every year.