The Green Bag
202
The Kansas State Bar Association held its 27th annual meeting in Topeka Jan. 27-28. The president, Professor J. W. Green of the
law school of Kansas State University, chose for the subject of his opening address, "The Three Departments of Government." Pro fessor Roscoe Pound of Chicago University delivered a pa r on "Puritanism and the Common Law.’ W. S. Fitzpatrick of Inde ndence made an address on “Criticism of urts by Lawyers and Laymen:', and other interesting papers were read, wh11e_some dis
cussion was given to the new Civil Code of Kansas. The annual meetin of the New Hampshire Bar Association wil take the form of an outing to be held probably at the Hotel Wentworth,
Newcastle,
the latter
of
next June. The program will incl e these features: resident's address, by Hon. Wil liam M. C
- the annual address, by Judge
Alton B. Parker of New York; a paper on of “Admiralty New Hampshire Jurisdiction during andthe Admiralty Revolutionary Period," by Judge Edgar Aldrich; and a aper on ‘The General Regulations for the ntlemen of the Bar of New Hampshire, as Set Forth in a Pamphlet Published in the Early Part of the Nineteenth Century," by Hon. Wallace Hackett.
It is somewhat surprising that Massachu setts, a state conspicuous for the ability of its bench and bar, has till lately had no state bar association. Now that Massachusetts has established a state association, there remain only two of the forty‘six states without them, namely, Nevada and W oming. Even the territories of Arizona an New Mexico have their own bar associations. The Massachu setts Bar Association was organized at the Hotel Somerset, Boston, at a dinner held Dec. 22, by four hundred and fifty of the
leading lawyers of the Commonwealth. Richard Olney presided and was elected president. Oflicers of the association chosen are: Presi dent, Richard Olney; vice- residents, William
H. Brooks of Sprin 1d, harles W. Clifford of New Bedford, amuel K. Hamilton of Wakefield, John C. Hammond of Northamp ton, Alfred Hemenwa of Boston and Moor field Storey of Broo 'ne; secreta,Robert Homans of Boston, and treasurer, C
and favored uniformity in judicial procedure. Seth Low compared uniformity of legisla tion to standardization in mechanical con struction, and Judge Alton B. Parker favored the adoption of such workmen's com n sation laws as those of England and r many. On the second day, Senator Root suggested the creation of a Commissioners’ Court to draft uniform laws, along the lines recom mended in the conference of the Federation. Samuel Gompers, John Hays Hammond. John Mitchell, August Belmont and George M. Gillett favored such workmen's compensation legislation as that ur ed by udge Parker the day before. Edwa Burnel Phelps insisted that a law should be enacted, as in European
countries, prohibitin the employment of child-bearing women or a certain period after and in some cases before their confinement. Professor Samuel McCune Lindsay of Colum bia spoke on interstate competition and industrial legislation, and Err-Senator John F. Dryden, president of the Prudential Insur ance Company, said that if the various states failed to codify their insurance laws uniformly the only alternative would be federal control of the business. Isaac N. Seligman made an urgent lea for uniform state laws regulating child bor. On the third day resolutions were ado ted recommending to the Governors uni orm laws for the protection of children employed in industries, a uniform insurance code among the
several
states,
uniform
legislation
on
gathering and reserving vital statistics and the conservation of American forests, which were all referred to the committee on uniform state laws. The conference adopted a resolution recom mending that workmen’s compensation acts, fair to the employer and the employee and just to the state, be uniformly substituted for
the present system of employers’ liabilit for injuries received in and arising out o the course of employment. A resolution was adopted recommending to the respective states consideration of the development of water power and the regulation of non-navigable streams.
The Firs! Conference of Governor:
rles E.
Ware of Fitchburg.
Simultaneously with the meeting of the Civic Federation, Governors of thirty states,
Meeting of the National Civic Federation] The three-day conference of the National Civic Federation in Washington, D. C., be
ginnin Jan. 17, was attended by man dis tinguis ed delegates representing di erent professional, commercial and labor interests in all parts of the United States. President Taft, in opening the meeting, urged uniformity of state legislation as a remedy for over centralization in the national government,
accleézting the invitation of Governor Willson of ntucky, began a session of three days in Washington Jan. 18. Governor Willson, at the opening session, expressed his conviction that no better means could be found to devise improved and uniform state legislation than by holding a conference which had no legal standing whatsoever. The Governors were welcomed by President Taft at the White House,wh0 expressed approval of the English system whereby the executive is made respon srble for legislation, and suggested that our own system presented opportunities for the
