The Green Bag
200
oficers of the princi al life insurance com panies in the United tates, held at Washing ton, D. C.,
an. 19-20.
The sessions were
devoted to iscussion of uniform life insur ance legislation in the various states and the new movement for the conservation of the public health which recently originated with some of the largest life companies. Governor Pothier of Rhode Island, in his second inaugural message Jan. 4, called atten
tion to the new veto power given to the Gov ernor, which may be set aside only by three fifths of the legislature. He recommended biennial instead of annual state elections and advised investigation of the expediency of providing Distrrct Attorneys to assist _the Attorne -General in prosecuting crrmmal cases. e also suggested better regulation of foreign co rations and added state_super vision of t e gght against tuberculosis, and pro sed an e ort to secure uniform auto mo ile regulations throughout New England.
mobile le ' lation adequately protecting the public ‘an er a s tern of licenses; an amend ment to make t e penalized practice of book making include oral betting; and the simpli fication of court procedure by measures de vised to provide more economical and less . technical methods.
Personal— The Bench Governor Swanson of Virginia has re a pointed udge Robert Riddick Prentis irrnan o the Virginia State Corporation Commission for a term of six years. Judge H. K. Hanna, who has served for many years as circuit judge of the first judi cial district of Oregon, and is more than
eighty years old, now leaves the bench for a well-earned retirement. The State Probate Judges’ Association of Kansas has approved of some pro sed legis lation, one of the features of whi
The commission to ropose amendments to the constitution of ermont made its re port earl in January, favoring eight pro posals: (l to remove the "time ock ' on the constitution in consequence of which amend ments can be acted on onl once in ten years, (2) to require a two-thi 5 vote when legis lation is to be passed over the Governor's veto, (3) to change the dates of state elec
tions to conform to those of national elections, (4) to require the requests of more than one member to enforce a call of the yeas and nays on an
vote in the legislature, (5) to
deprive the egislature of the powers of review ing conviction of murder, commutation of
sentences, and pardon of murderers, (6) to prohibit le 'slators from accepting remunera
would be
a reduction of the time allowed for the closing of estates from three to two years. Alfred R. Page, Nathan Bijur and Edward J. Gavegan, who were chosen at the last elec tion to succeed Justices Dowling, MacLean and Truax of the Supreme Court of New York, took their places Jan. 3. Justice Dowling went to the Appellate Division. Judge ames Gould of Pine Blufl', Ark., resigned is sition as county and probate judge of Je erson county Jan. 16. At the expiration of his present term, which ends in October, he expects to move to Chicago or St. Louis to engage in the bonding business.
tion of 0t er public offices, (7) to abolish
special legislation to charter corporations, and (8) to reclassify or codify the constitution to introduce these amendments in their proper places. The recommendations made in Governor Hughes’ annual message included the follow ing: that the development of the water powers of the state be subject to certain principles necessary to safeguard the public interest; that the Public Service Commissions law be extended to telegraph and tele hone com panies;
that the Governor on
t to have
power to appoint a cabinet of a rninistrative heads, though that would require a constitu tional amendment; that a simplified form of ballot in which the names of candidates ap pear but once be adopted; that publicity of all campaign expenditures, without excep tion, be brought about; that proposed con stitutional amendments be notified by more eflective methods to the voters; that only enrolled voters be allowed to participate in party primaries; that a system of direct nominations for elective ofiices be provided; stricter scrutiny of the qualifications of notaries public; provision for frequent examination of Insurance companies; the adoption of auto
Justice Claudius B. Grant of the Supreme Court of Michigan was given a banquet "0g! seventy members of the Detroit bar Jan., commemorating the occasion of his retire ment from the bench. Justice Grant was presented with a testimonial signed by all present. The President and Mrs. Taft received the members of the Supreme Court and the judicia as guests of honor at the reception at the hite House Jan. 18. The first guest to be received was the Chief Justice, who was accompanied by his family. They were followed by the Associate Justices and their families. Among those present were the visitin Governors and their wives, and the recently ap inted Minister to China and Mrs. . J. alhoun of Chicago. The following appointments of President Taft have been confirmed bg the Senate: George A. Carpenter, United tates District {)udge, northern district of Illinois; William H. ope, Chief Justice of the Sn reme Court of
the Territory of New Mexico; exander G. M. Robertson, United States District Judge of
