Today -100: December 17, 1910: Of seasonable baths and goodies

Congresscritters will no longer be able to take baths in the House Office Building: the salaries for bath attendants were stricken out of the appropriations bill. Rep. James Mann (R-Ill.) complained that “those members of the House who did not care to take baths should find no fault with those who did.” Rep. Philip Campbell (R-Kansas) replied that they should take their baths at seasonable times and places, not during the daytime at their offices. Mann replied that “seasonable times of the year also would be a good suggestion to make to some members.” Zing!

Germany’s parliament has adopted a draft Constitution for Alsace-Lorraine, the province seized from France in 1870. It will have a governor appointed by the kaiser and a two-chamber legislature. Half of the upper house will be ex officio or appointed by chambers of commerce, agriculture and labor, the other half nominated by the lower chamber and appointed by the kaiser. The lower house will be elected by universal male suffrage of men over 25, with those over 35 getting 2 votes, those over 45 3 votes.

Headline of the Day -100: “Taft Gets Aunt Delia’s Goodies.”