Regents' Examinations in New York State in 1907.

REGENTS' EXAMINATIONS under the control of the Education Department of the State of New York (office, Albany, N. Y.) will be held in 1907 at the following times and places: Jan. 21-25 inclusive, at New York, and about 800 academies and high schools; 84 subjects. June 17-21 inclusive, at New York, and about 800 academies and high schools; 84 subjects. Examinations for teachers' certificates are held on the same dates as the Regents, and the uniform examinations. Sept. 25-27, inclusive, at New York, Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo; 40 subjects. September examinations are for professional and technical students only. Morning session begins 9.15 o'clock. Afternoon session begins 1.15 o'clock.

UNIVERSITY CREDENTIALS-Preliminary (preacademic) certificate-Reading, writing, spelling, elementary English, arithmetic, geography, and on certificates earned in June, 1907, and thereafter, elementary United States history and civics. MEDICAL STUDENT CERTIFICATE-For matriculates prior to Jan. 1, 1896, for any 12 academic counts; for matriculates prior to Jan, 1, 1897, for any 24 academic counts. But all matriculates after Jan. 1, 1897, must secure * 48 academic counts or their full equivalent. LAW STUDENT CERTIFICATE-Advanced English, English composition, first year Latin, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, English history, United States history, civics, economics, or any 36 academic counts. DENTAL STUDENT CERTIFICATE-Any 48 academic counts or their equivalents (for matriculates before Jan. 1, 1905, any *36 academic counts).

VETERINARY STUDENT CERTIFICATE-Any *48 academic counts or their equivalents (for matriculates before Jan. 1, 1905, any 24 academic counts).

PHARMACY STUDENT CERTIFICATE-Any 12 academic counts for matriculates before Jan. 1, 1907; matriculates after Jan. 1, 1907, must have algebra (* 4 counts) and #8 additional counts.

NURSES PRELIMINARY CERTIFICATE-After January 1, 1906, 15 counts.

ACADEMIC DIPLOMA-For 12 counts. This diploma is based on a four-year curriculum, requiring a student to pursue four subjects of study of at least 18 lesson periods a week. This increase from 15 to 18 lessons a week necessitates a corresponding change in the system of "counts," and 12 counts under the former scheme of values is equal to 15 under the present. For diplomas earned in June, 1909, and thereafter, the requirements are: English 13 counts, mathematics 10, history 8, science 10, elective 31. For the classical academic diploma: English 13, mathematics 10, history 5, science 5. Latin 20, a second foreign language 15, elective 4. There is no time limit, but credentials issued by the Department are good till cancelled for cause. To protect the rights of the weak or of the slowly developing student and at the same time to test the knowledge of the most capable, the following system of differentiated credentials has been adopted: 1. A diploma based on a general average of 65; 2. A diploma, with credit, based on a general average of 75; 3. A diploma, with great credit, based on a general average of 85; 4. A diploma, with highest credit, based on a general average of 90. Answer papers are reviewed in the Department and all papers below standard returned to the candidates. Candidates attending schools in which these examinations are not held should send notice at least ten days in advance at what time and in what studies they wish to be examined, that required desk room may be provided. Candidates who fail to send this advance notice can be admitted only so far as there are unoccupied seats. [See Handbook 3].

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES WITHOUT EXAMINATION-Candidates having credentials which can be accepted in place of exam. inations should send them to the Education Department-Registration. [See Handbook 231.

MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS-The regents shall adinit to any examination any candidate who pays a fee of $25 and submits satisfactory evidence, verified by oath, if required, that he-1. Is more than twenty-one years of age; 2. Is of good moral character; 3. Has the general education required preliminary to receiving the degree of bachelor or doctor of medicine in this State; 4. Has studied medicine not less than four full school years of at least nine months each, including four satisfactory courses of at least six months each in four different calendar years in a medical college registered as maintaining at the time a satisfactory standard. This requirement took effect Jan. 1, 1898, and does not apply to students matriculated before that date who receive their degree before Jan. 1, 1902; 5. Evidence that applicant has received the degree of bachelor or doctor of medicine from some registered medical school, or a diploma or license conferring full rights to practise medicine in some foreign country (original credentials). Examinations for license to practise medicine in this State will be held as follows: Jan. 29-Feb. 1, May 21-24, June 25-28, Oct. 1-4, at New York, Albany, Syracuse, and Buffalo. (Each candidate is notified as to exact place.)

DENTAL EXAMINATIONS-The regents shall admit to examination any candidate who pays a fee of $25 and submits satisfactory evidence, verified by oath, if required, that he-1. Is more than twenty-one years of age; 2. Is of good moral character; 3. Has the general education required preliminary to receiving the degree of doctor of dental surgery in this State. Matriculates in a registered dental school before Jan. 1, 1896, are exempt froin the preliminary education requirement for degrees and for admission to the licensing examinations; 4. Subsequently to receiving such preliminary education either has been graduated in course with a dental degree from a registered dental school, or else, having been graduated in course from a registered medical school with a degree of doctor of medicine, has pursued thereafter a course of special study of dentistry for at least two years in a registered dental school, and received therefrom its degree of doctor of dental surgery, or else holds a diploma or license conferring full right to practise dentistry in some foreign country and granted by some registered authority. Dates of dental examinations: Jan. 29-Feb. 1, May 21-24, June 25-28, and Oct. 1-4, at New York, Albany, Syracuse, and Buffalo. (Each candidate is notified, as to exact place.)

PHARMACY EXAMINATIONS.-Applications for examination, accompanied by the proper fee, must be forwarded to the secretary of the branch of the State Board of Pharmacy in which the applicant resides at least ten days previous to the date of examination. A candidate for the grade of licensed pharmacist must pay a fee of $10 and submit evidence of: 1. A minimum age of 21 years: 2. At least four years' practical experience in a pharmacy; 3. A diploma from a registered pharmacy school. For the grade of licensed druggist a candidate must pay a fee of $5, submit proof of three years' practical experience in a pharmacy, and pass examination. Examinations will be held-New York: Feb. 20, June 19, Nov. 20; Brooklyn: May 15, Sept. 18, Dec. 18; Albany and Rochester: Feb. 20, April 17, Sept. 18, Nov. 20; Buffalo: Feb. 20, April 17, June 19, Sept. 18, Nov. 20. VETERINARY EXAMINATIONS-The regents shall admit to examination any candidate who pays a fee of $10 and submits satisfactory evidence, verified by oath, if required, that he-1. Is more than twenty-one years of age; 2. Is of good moral character; 3. Has the general education required in all cases after July 1, 1897, preliminary to receiving a degree in veterinary medicine. Matriculates in a registered veterinary medical school prior to Jan, 1, 1896, are exempt from the preliminary education requirement; 4. Has studied veterinary medicine not less than three full years, including three satisfactory courses, in three different academic years, in a veterinary medical school registered as maintaining at the time a satisfactory standard, 5. Has received a degree as veterinarian from some registered veterinary medical school. Dates of examinations: Jan. 29, Feb. 1, May 21-24, June 25-28, Oct. 1-4, at New York, Albany, Syracuse, and Buffalo.

CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS-1. The full C. P.A. certificate is to be granted only to those at least twenty-five years of age who have had three years' satisfactory experience in the study or practice of accounting, one of which shall have been in the office of an expert public accountant; 2. Candidates having the required preliminary education and passing the required examinations, but lacking the age or the three years' experience required for the full C. P. A. certificate, may be certified as junior accountants under the same conditions as to residence and character; 3. Two examinations, in January and in June, are held annually. There are to be four sessions as follows: 1, Theory of accounts; 2, Practical accounting; 3, Auditing; 4, Commercial law; candidates must complete all subjects at a single examination as required in medicine; candidates for either the C. P. A. or the junior accountant certificate must be more than twenty-one years of age, and of good moral character. They must pay a fee of $25, and must have the regents' academic diploma or its equivalent as prescribed for other professional examinations. Dates of examinations, Jan. 29-30 and June 25-26.

REGISTRATION OF NURSES-Who May Practise as Registered Nurses-Any resident of the State of New York, being over the age of twenty-one years and of good moral character, holding a diploma from a training school for nurses connected with a hospital or sanitarium giving a course of at least two years, and registered by the regents of the University of the State of New York as maintaining in this and other respects proper standards, all of which shall be determined by the said regents, and who shall have received from the said regents a certificate of his or her qualifications to practise as a registered nurse, shall be styled and known as a registered nurse, and no other person shall assume such title, or use the abbreviation R. N. or any other words, letters, or figures to indicate that the person using the name is such a registered nurse. Two examinations will be held annually in January and June respectively at the places prescribed for regents' examinations in the other professions. Applications should be made at least ten days in advance to Education Department, Examination Division, Albany, N. Y. Dates: 1907, Jan. 29-Feb. 1, June 25-28, at New York. Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo. (Each candidate is notfied as to exact place.)

*Based on 1900 syllabus; on the syllabus of 1905, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 respectively.

Acts of the Fifty-ninth Congress.

FIRST SESSION.

THE principal bills of a public nature which became laws during the first session of the Fiftyninth Congress, beginning December 4, 1905, and ending June 30, 1906, were:

Chapter 631. An act to provide for the appropriate marking of the graves of the soldiers and sailors of the Confederate army and navy who died in Northern prisons and buried near the prisons where they died. [March 9, 1906.]

Chapter 1366. An act to provide for the re-organization of the consular service of the United States. [April 5, 1906.]

Chapter 1370. An act granting authority to the Secretary of the Navy in his discretion to dismiss midshipmen from the Naval Academy, and regulating the procedure and punishment in trials for hazing at the said academy.

Chapter 1372. An act to amend section 4414 of the Revised Statutes, inspectors of hulls and boilers of steam vessels. [April 9, 1906.] Suggested by the General Slocum disaster.

Chapter 1876. An act to provide for the final disposition of the affairs of the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory. [April 26, 1906.] Providing for full citizenship, &c.

Chapter 2071. An act to regulate shipping n trade between ports of the United States and ports or places in the Philippine Archipelago. April 0, 1906] Application of the coast wise law restricting trade to American vessels postponed to April 11, 1909.

Chapter 2081. An act to amend the laws of the United States relating to the regulation of trademarks. [May 4, 1906.]

Chapter 2083. An act providing for the election of a delegate to the House of Representatives from Alaska. [May 7, 1906.]

Chapter 2558. An act to amend section 6 of an act, approved March 14, 1900, to define and fix the standard of value, to maintain the parity of all forms of money issued or coined by the United States, to refund the public debt. [May 26, 1906.] Directs gold bullion reserve in excess of $50,000,000 to be coined.

Chapter 3047. An act for the withdrawal from bond, tax free, of domestic alcohol, when rendered unfit for beverage or liquid medicinal uses by mixture with suitable denaturing materials. [June 7, 1906.]

Chapter 3060. An act for the preservative of American antiquities. [June 8, 1906.]

Chapter 3073. An act relating to the liability of common carriers in the District of Columbia and Territories, and common carriers engaged in commerce between the States and between the States and foreign nations to their employés. [June 11, 1906.]

Chapter 3335. An act to enable the people of Oklahoma and the Indian Territory to form a constitution and State government and be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and to enable the people of New Mexico and Arizona to form a constitution and State government and be admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States. [June 16, 906] Provides for the admission of Oklahoma and the Indian Territory as the State of Oklahoma, after they have adopted a constitution, and Arizona and New Mexico as the State of Arizona if they separately vote to except statehood under this act.

Chapter 3433. An act to further protect the public health and make more effective the national quarantine. [June 19, 1906.]

Chapter 3515. An act to increase the efficiency of the militia and promote rifle practice. [June 26, 1908.1 Appropriates $2,000,000 annually. Chapter 3516. An act to amend section 5200 Revised Statutes, relating to national banks. National bank liabilities limited to thirty per cent. of capital.

[June 22, 1906.] Chapter 3523. An act to provide for the travelling expenses of the President of the United States. [June 23, 1906.] Appropriates $25,000 annually.

Chapter 3591. An act to amend an act to regulate commerce, approved February 4, 1887, and to enlarge the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission. [June 29, 1906.] Railway rates regulated and discriminations penalized. Chapter 3592. An act to establish a Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, and to provide for a uniform rule for the naturalization of aliens throughout the United States. [June 29, 1906.] Chapter 3597. An act to provide for the construction of a local canal connecting the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the method of construction. [June 29, 1906.] Chapter 3621. An act for the control and regulation of the waters of Niagara River, for the preservation of Niagara Falls, &c. [June 29, 1906.]

Chapter 3913. An act making appropriations for the Department of Agriculture. [June 30, 1905.] Provides for meat inspection, from hoof to can, at government expense.

Chapter 3915. An act for preventing the manufacture, sale or transportation of adulterated or misbranded or poisonous or deleterious foods, drugs, medicines, liquors, &c. [June 30, 1906.] The pure food law.

Chapter 3920. An act defining the immunity of witnesses, &c. [June 30, 1903.] Immunity of witnesses in criminal cases limited.

Among other measures passed by Congress at this session were these: raising the Turkish mission to an ambassadorship; protecting sponge growing in American waters; giving aid to the Jamestown Exposition, and appropriating money for monuments at King's Mountain, N. C., battleground; at Princeton battleground, New Jersey; to the Pilgrims at Provincetown, Mass.; and statues of John Paul Jones, Commodore Barry, and Henry W. Longfellow.

Among the measures laid over until the next session of Congress were the Santo Domingo and Isle of Pines treaties; immigration restriction; Senator Smoot's right to seat; ship subsidy; making Porto Ricans citizens of the United States; reduction of tariff on products of the Philippines; modification of the Chinese exclusion law; removal of customs duties on works of art; anti-injunction bill; establishment of postal savings bank and parcels post: retirement of superannuated Federal clerks; prohibiting corporation campaign contributions, and increase or artillery corps.

There were introduced in the Senate during the session 6,551 bills, and in the House 20, 475 bills. Many of these were private bills. The number of public acts passed was 320. The President vetoed eight acts of Congress, of minor importance.

State Legislation in 1906.

THE following summary of the more important legislation effected by State Legislatures in 1906 is compiled by permission from the address of George R. Peck, of Chicago, President of the American Bar Association, at the annual meeting at St. Paul, Minn., August 29, 1906:

The year 1906 was an "off year" in State legislation, and regular sessions of State legislatures were held in but fifteen States and Territories: these being Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts. New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Porto Rico, Rhode Island, Indian Territory, Mississippi, South Carolina and Virginia. Special or extra sessions were held in Wisconsin, Texas, Pennsylvania and California.

State Elections.-Ohio and Iowa changed their system of electing a part of their State officers each year to that of electing all such officers hereafter biennially. These State elections will occur in even numbered years.

Lobbying.-In New York a law was passed requiring all persons employed to promote or oppose legislation to file a written authorization from their employers and to state concerning what legislation their service is to be rendered. The Secretary of State is required to keep a docket in which such persons are to register. The employment of lobbyists for a contingent fee is prohibited and an itemized statement of all lobbying expenses is required to be filed at the close of the session.

Suffrage.-Kentucky excluded from the suffrage all persons who have not paid their taxes in full at least sixty days before the election.

Pennsylvania passed two laws applicable to cities of the first, second and third classes, whereby an extensive system of registration was prepared looking toward the suppression of the illegal voter. The important provisions of these laws are the requirement of personal registration and the elaborate form in which the registration is to be made, stating the name and occupation of the voter, his residence, and whether he is a lodger, lessee or owner, and the room or floor which he occupies, the length of his residence, his residence at the previous registration, his personal description and signature, while provision is also made for noting whether he votes at the primary and regular elections for the ensuing year. This registration is made before each general election and the information is obtained under the oath of the applicant Arrangement was made for registration of persons unavoidably absent on the registration days up to two weeks before the general election. No officer or employé of any city of the first class, i. e., Philadelphia, shall demand, solicit, or receive any campaign assessment or contribution. Restriction of campaign expenses to specified objects and publicity is also required by a new act in the same State. The filing of campaign expenses accounts is not an uncommon requirement, but the defining of the objects for which expenses may be legally incurred by a candidate is quite new in this country.

In New Jersey not only was the giving of money or valuables in consideration of votes declared to be bribery, but the offering or promising of any office, place, or employment to any voter or to any other person in order to influence the vote was made a misdemeanor. The same act prohibited the intimidation of employés at elections. The penalty prescribed in this act for these offences and for bribery is disfranchisement for five years for the first offence, and disfranchisement and a fine not exceeding $1,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or both, for the second offence. New Jersey also limited the purposes for which campaign funds may be spent, not by enumerating lawful purposes, but by certain new prohibitions, namely, the giving of any meat, drink, entertainment or provision for any person for the purpose of influencing his vote, for the renting of any club room for social purposes or providing uniforms for any club, or paying for the insertion in any newspaper or magazine of any article tending to influence any voter except that such advertisements may be inserted in papers, provided it is so stated, with the name of the person paying for the same in the advertisement. Disfranchisement for two years is provided for a first offence, and for a subsequent offence perpetual disfranchisement, and, in addition, in the discretion of the court, punishment as for a misdemeanor. The activities of candidates in New Jersey who cannot promise an office nor treat the voters will doubtless be considerably diminished.

New York limited campaign expenditures in a manner very similar to Pennsylvania, requiring that all expenditures be made either by or through a candidate or a committee treasurer, by providing for an accounting where campaign expenses are incurred other than the personal expenses for travelling, for the preparation of letters and circulars, for stationery and postage, telegraph, telephone and public messenger service. Vouchers for all expenditures are required and contracts must be made in the name of the person actually furnishing them. Treating voters by candidates is prohibited, and the purposes for which expenses may be lawfully incurred are enumerated as follows: Rent of halls and compensation of speakers, music and fireworks for public meetings, expense of advertising the same, together with incidental expenses, the preparation of posters, lithographs, banners, notices and other literary material, compensation of agents to prepare newspaper articles, the pay of newspapers for advertisements, reading matter and pictures and additional circulation, preparation and circulation of letters, pamphlets and literature, the rent of offices and club rooms, with the compensation of necessary clerks, compensation of attorneys for actual legal expenses, preparation of lists of voters, the personal expenses of the candidates and travelling expenses of committee men, agents, clerks, and speakers, postage, express, telegraph and telephones, preparing nomination papers, the compensation of workers at the polls and food for them, and the hiring of carriages for conveying sick or infirm electors. The soliciting of money from candidates, except by the authorized representative of the political party to which the candidate belongs, is prohibited, as are campaign contributions from judicial candidates. Another act of New York prohibits contributions by corporations or associations except those organized for political purposes only.

Court Practice.-In Kentucky the Court of Appeals was authorized to appoint a commissioner, who is to hold office during the pleasure of the court, and to perform such duties as may be assigned to him by it. The commissioner receives the same salary as the judges and must possess the same qualifications.

Punishment of Crime.-Louisiana enacted that no sentence shall be reversed for errors unless it be made to appear affirmatively that the accused was prejudiced thereby.

In New Jersey the infliction of the penalty by hanging was abolished in favor of electrocution. In order that no objection may be made to the act as an ex post facto law it was provided that it shall not apply to any crimes which were committed before it took effect.

South Carolina provided an advisory board of pardons, which will hear applications for pardons, and make recommendations thereon to the Governor. Of course, these recommendations have no official

STATE LEGISLATION IN 1906-Continued.

sanction until approved by him and he can disregard them entirely. The South Carolina law provides that if the Governor does not follow the recommendations of the board he must submit his reasons for his action to the legislature.

Ohio prohibited the further employment of convict labor under contract and provided that hereafter such labor shall be used for the production of supplies for the State and its institutions and upon the roads of the State.

Georgia established a State reformatory, and South Carolina provided for a new reformatory exclusively for white boys, and left the one now in existence for colored boys. In New Jersey a school of detention was established, which appears to correspond to a great extent to the regular reformatories. Kentucky provided that any parent or parents or guardian, or person having the custody of any child, who shall willfully encourage his delinquency, or do anything to promote it, shall be punished. The court also has power to place the defendant on probation for one year, retaining a supervision over his conduct during that time.

Taxation.-In Louisiana a State Board of equalization was created. One of the vexing questions in taxation is the treatment of mortgages, and many expedients have been suggested whereby this intangible form of property may be rendered subject to assessment without incurring the danger of double taxation. Kentucky made an effort with this end in view by requiring a certification by the county clerks of notes which are secured by mortgage and recorded in their offices, and by prohibiting the recording of any mortgage unless the residence of the person holding the note or evidence of indebtedness is given.

New York, in its mortgage recording law of 1906, cut boldly away from the old effort to tax mortgages and exempted them from local taxation, providing for a recording tax of fifty cents for each one hundred dollars or major fraction thereof of the principal. No mortgage can be recorded or rights invoked under it until the tax is paid.

Street railways in New Jersey were subjected to a new taxation law, whereby their property is to be assessed and taxed locally, subject to review by the board of assessors. In addition a franchise tax upon the gross receipts of the companies is imposed, beginning at two and one-half per cent. this year and increasing to a maximum of five per cent. in 1911. This tax is to be divided among the taxing districts in proportion to the value of the road in each,

An important limitation upon the rights of cities to grant franchises to publicservice corporations was enacted in New Jersey, where no rights in the streets may be granted unless a petition stating the details of such requested rights is filed and public notice given before the enactment of an ordinance. Such rights may be granted for twenty years by an ordinance of the council, and if a longer franchise is desired the matter must be submitted to vote of the municipality, and the limitation of forty years in all is placed upon such grants.

Education.—Kentucky took a step for the improvement of educational affairs by the establishment of two normal schools, one to be located in the eastern and the other in the western part of the State.

Maryland provided for the compulsory education of deaf and blind children,

Probably as a result of the recent deplorable accident at Kenyon College, where a student lost his life while being initiated into a college fraternity, the legislature of Ohio passed an act for the punishment of hazing in schools and colleges.

Corporations and Trusts. -In Ohio an effort was made to amend the law of corporations so as to protect the rights of minority stockholders. By this law no corporation is allowed to sell its entire property unless three-fourths of the directors authorize such sale and submit the question to a meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose, of which special notice must be given. If the sale is approved by a vote of three-fourths of the stock it may be consummated. If any stockholder is dissatisfied with the sale he may demand that the corporation pay him the actual value of his stock, and such value may be ascertained by an arbitration between the stockholder and the corporation.

Railroads.-In Ohio and Virginia the legislatures regulated passenger rates directly. In the former State the minimum rate was fixed at two cents per mile for a distance of more than five miles, but the are is always to be the nearest multiple of five reached by multiplying the rate by the distance. In the latter State the Corporation Commission was given power to fix passenger rates, but until such power is exercised the railroads are required to sell mileage books of five hundred miles or over at the rate of two cents per mile, such books being good for any member of a family.

Ohio also created a railroad commission. This law is almost a literal copy of the Wisconsin railroad commission law enacted in 1905, as it stood before that law was amended at the special session. It provides for an appointive commission, contains the usual provisions regarding discrimination and rebates, and provides for complaint regarding rates, classifications and service, and gives the commission power to change such rates, classifications and service after an investigation. An action may be brought by the carrier against the commission to restrain the enforcement of any order so made on the ground that it is unlawful or unreasonable, and the commission cannot be enjoined except upon notice and hearing. Provision is made to compel the producing of all evidence bearing upon the question at the hearing before the commission, by requiring that if new evidence be offered in court the proceeding shall, unless the parties stipulate to the contrary, be stayed until the commission can act upon such new evidence and alter its previous order if it so desires.

This rate law touches upon the pass question by allowing free transportation or transportation at reduced rates to ministers, officers of colleges, agents of charitable societies when travelling upon the business of the society, destitute and homeless persons, officers and employés of the companies and cheir families and the exchange of passes with officers and employés of other railroads and members of their families.

Iowa enacted an anti-pass law, in the form of a prohibition upon the giving of passes to persons holding public office, candidates therefor, delegates to conventions and jurors. The law excepts, however, notaries, offices paying no fees or salary, professors and officers of educational institutions, members of the National Guard, and of the fire departments of cities, and of the State Board of Agriculture. It is thus much less drastic than the pioneer Wisconsin anti-pass law.

Georgia and South Carolina enacted laws for the regulation of freight shipments. The South Carolina law provides that no common carrier shall interfere with the fulfilment of contracts for the delivery of freight, nor undertake to control or direct the shipment of commodities, and cannot have the right to designate to what consignees freight loaded shall be consigned.

Virginia applied what is known as the "Jim Crow" principle, i. e., the segregation of the two

STATE LEGISLATION IN 1906-Continued.

races, to the street cars, by requiring the designation of separate seats in such cars by the conductor, but allowing the portion of the cars devoted to each race to be changed as the traffic requires.

At

Massachusetts brought express companies within the jurisdiction of the railroad commission. the same time it placed telegraph and telephone companies under the control of the highway commission. Very little power is, however, given to this commission in this respect, as it cannot regulate the rates which shall be charged by such companies, and upon investigation of complaints may only make recommendations, Telephone companies were given rights of eminent domain similar to those enjoyed by telegraph companies by an act of this year's legislature in Georgia.

Louisiana followed the example of Congress by declaring pipe lines common carriers and placing them under the control of the railroad commission. As a necessary correlative of this act, the legislature at the same time gave them the right of eminent domain.

Insurance.-Following the report of the life insurance investigating committee New York enacted new life insurance laws which may be briefly summarized as follows: Policy-holders or an insurance company are eligible to election as directors, whether or not stockholders. The election of directors in mutual life insurance companies for 1906 was changed by postponement of such election first to the 15th of November and later to the 18th of December, and annulling all proxies executed prior to the 18th day of October, 1906. These elections were to be under the supervision of the superintendent of insurance. Future elections are regulated by requiring the filing of lists of policy-holders with the superintendent of insurance and at the home office and all of the different agencies of each company, which lists are to be subject to inspection and copy by any policy-holder during the five months prior to the election. The administration and policy-holders may both nominate candidates to be voted for, and ballots for the election are to be sent to the policy-holders, who may vote either in person, by mail, or by proxy, but the proxy must have been executed within two months of the election.

The investments of the companies were restricted by prohibiting the purchase of additional real estate for business purposes unless the superintendent of insurance consents. No more stock investments are allowed, and the stocks now held are to be disposed of within five years from December 1, 1906. No more than one-third of the security for bonds can be in stock. The companies are not to be allowed to enter into any syndicates for floating of stock or bonds. No officer of the company can be interested in the sale, purchase or loan by the company, except a loan upon his own policy.

New business is to be restricted to a proportion of the insurance which the company has in force according to the following limits: Where the insurance is under fifty million dollars, no limit. Between fifty millions and one hundred millions, thirty per cent. Between one hundred millions and three hundred millions, twenty-five per cent. Between three hundred millions and six hundred millions, twenty per cent. Between six hundred millions and one billion, fifteen per cent. Where the insurance is over one billion, to one hundred fifty millions annually.

The expenses incurred are not to exceed the loading on the premiums. Commissions on new business must be at a uniform rate and no bonuses or prizes are to be offered. All new policies written are to provide for an annual distribution of dividends and there must be an annual accounting as to dividends accruing on deferred dividend policies formerly issued. Mutual companies of the State are prohibited from hereafter issuing participating policies. Forms for standard policies are provided for straight life, limited payment, endowment and term policies, and certain variations in the conditions of each of the policies are allowed. Additional and more complete reports from the companies are required. The receiving of a rebate on an insurance premium is made punishable.

Various amendments were also made as to the incorporation of new companies and the re-incorporation of old companies in order to facilitate the change from stock to mutual companies, and to improve the conditions under which new companies may be formed.

The former requirement that an accounting could not be obtained from a company by a policyholder except on the intervention of the Attorney-General was done away with. The recommendations of the investigating committee regarding the regulation of lobbyist and campaign contributions resulted in the enactment of the laws already referred to under a previous head.

Louisiana enacted laws based to a considerable extent upon the recommendations of the Armstrong Committee of New York.

Virginia created a bureau of insurance for that State. This is under the supervision of a commissioner elected by the legislature. He has general supervision over insurance companies doing business in the State, and the usual powers and duties of similar officers.

The legislature of Maryland took up the question of the distribution of surplus, but did not go as far as New York and Louisiana, requiring only a five-year distribution.

The only important law passed during the last year relating to fire insurance was in Kentucky, where a State fire commissioner was created, whose duty is to investigate all fires which appear to be the result of carelessness or caused by an incendiary.

Public Safety.-In Massachusetts the railroad commission was given power to require the use of the block system upon the roads in that State. The Ohio Legislature passed an act intended primarily probably for the safety of the employé upon the railroad, but important also to the travelling public, requiring the use of the train brake system, automatic couplers and various othe. safety appliances.

Approaching and sometimes even exceeding the railroad in speed, and more dangerous because operated upon the highways without any regular track, the automobile received regulation in a large number of the States. New laws of this kind appeared during 1906 in Ohio, Virginia, New Jersey and Porto Rico. The act of Porto Rico only requires the registration and a license; the other laws contain elaborate provisions for registration and the running of the vehicles. The speed limit is varied, according to the character of the road and the country traversed, and ranges from a maximum for the country in Ohio, and New Jersey of twenty miles, and of fifteen miles in Virginia, to a minimum in cities of ten miles an hour in Ohio; twelve miles in New Jersey and eight miles in Virginia. Various punishments are provided for violation and in Virginia imprisonment may be had for the first offence, while in Ohio and New Jersey this penalty is reserved for the second and subsequent offences. Massachusetts and Maryland amended the automobile laws in some respects, making the former somewhat more liberal than before and the latter stricter.

In Louisiana and Kentucky, the legislatures prohibited the abandonment of oil wells or the ceasing of operations without plugging them. This seems intended primarily for the protection of adjoining property and neignboring wells.