Missouri Valley Times

A Digest of Freaks

The Literary Digest recently published a list of the freak bills which legislators in various states had introduced at the recent sessions with the hope of having them enacted into laws. The list was taken from a Texas newspaper of standing and influence. In the list was the bill introduced into the Kansas legislature early in the session by some wide-eyed reformer who wanted to prohibit women from trying to appear younger than they really are. The bill placed a ban upon the use of face powder or rouge, hair dye or bleach, piercing the ears or wearing ear-rings. The publicity given the freak legislator's dream caused the Wichita Eagle to remark editorially to the effect that the time had come to squelch the freaks who were making a laughing stock of the state. This sentiment was re-echoed throughout the press of Kansas and it is likely that, in the future, very few bills of that nature will ever see the light of day in Topeka.

Here is the list as published in the Literary Digest:

To prohibit the catching of frogs. Minnesota.
To prohibit the use of face powder, rouge, hair dye, or bleach, the piercing of the ears and the wearing of earrings. Kansas.
To compel chickens to go to roost before 7 p. m. To provide that bulls driven along the road at night shall wear lights. Prohibiting hip pockets in men's trousers. Colorado.
Providing that all weeds and plants which cause hay fever shall be removed from the roadsides. Bachelors to pay an annual tax of $5 per head. Prohibiting the wearing of whiskers by doctors and dentists. Massachusetts.
Compelling the National Guard to do ninety days work each year on the roads and bridges of the state. Requiring dealers in stock foods to pay an annual license of $25 a year. Prohibiting free lunches. Nebraska.
Compelling churchgoers to leave their firearms outside. Texas.
Prohibiting treating. Prohibiting the giving of tips to barbers, waiters, porters, hat checkers, etc. Taxing bachelors of 30 years of age $50 per annum. Illinois.
To furnish lumber jacks with individual bath tubs. Minnesota.
Establishing a uniform thickness of sleigh runners. North Dakota.
Prohibiting a man from becoming a "ball-dodger," i. e., allowing persons to throw base balls at one's head for hire. New York.
Limiting each resident of the state to one gallon of "curn licker" a month. So. Carolina.
Prohibiting the smoking of cigarettes by school, normal and university instructors. Wisconsin.