Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1901 — DIGEST OF THE YEAR'S LAWS. [ARTICLE]

DIGEST OF THE YEAR'S LAWS.

The New York State Library has issued its eleventh annual “Comparative Summary and Index of Legislation by States,” covering the laws passed in 1900. The bulletin Is prepared by Robert H. Whitten, Ph. 0., sociology librarian, and it digests and organizes the large amount of legislation enacted by State legislatures. An interesting feature of the bulletin is its review of the most important nnd distinctive legislation of tho year, indicating the trend of legislation by reference to laws of previous years. Under the head of suffrage it is noted that a constitutional amendment in North Carolina has been adopted by the people and will go into effect in July, 1902. This amendment has for its purpose, illy concealed, the disfranchisement of the illiterate negroes of the State. It is similar tq that adopted by Louisiana In 1898, and makes ability to read and write a section of the constitution a qualification for voting. The bulletin shows that voting machines are 6teadily gaining in favor. The first law permitting the use of voting machines was passed in Now York in 1892; during the year Rhode Island has created a voting machine commission to examine make provisions for their use; in lowa the use of voting machines has been authorized, and a commission has been appointed to make investigations as to the merits of the machines now on the market. lowa passed a law providing for the appointment of tax inquisitors to discover personalty omitted from the tax lists. It is similar to the Ohio law on the same subject. Missouri has adopted a constitutional amendment providing for the exemption of the amount of a mortgage in the taxation of incumbered property. The nominal owner of the property is assessed for the amount of the property less the. mortgage, and the owner of the mortgage is_assessed the amount—of the mortgage. Virginia has provided for a tax of $1 on the seals of all courts and notaries by means of an adhesive stamp to be affixed jto the instrument requiring the seal. So far as is known this is the only instance of a State using stamps for the collection of taxes. New Jersey has adopted a franchise tax similar in some Tespects to that adopted by New York in 1899. It taxes all persons and corporations using highways, streets anil public places, except railroad and canal companies. Rhode Island has created a State commission to build and maintain sidepnths. A license fee of 50 cents to $1 may be imposed to form a sidepath fund. Maryland also has a sidepath commission. Mississippi, South Carolina and Virginia have revised their laws providing for pensions for indigent Confederate ; veterans, and Louisiana has adopted a constitutional amendment increasing annual appropriations for pensions. _ liouisiana will abolish the present system of leasing convicts as soon as the present lease expires, which will be .March 3, 1901. A number of Statics have provided for the release on probation of convicted juvenile offenders. Massachusetts, Vermont and New Jersey have extended this system to adult convicts. A Kentucky law provides that the board of prison commissioner* may parole convicts in the penitentiary for the first time. Paroled prisoners are not required to remain in the State, but if they do remain they are-required to report their place of residence and conduct to the board of prison commissioners, through the county judge, at least every six months. North Dakota has adopted a constitutional amendment establishing a board of pardons, consisting of the Governor, Attorney General, chief justice of the Supreme Court and two persons appointed by the Governor. South Carolina has decided to make an experiment iu State insurance. The State will carry its own risks on all State and county public buildings except school houses. Beginning with Jan. 1, 1901, half the amount now paid for premium* on city and county buildings will be paid to the commissioners of the sinking fund for an insurance fund. When the insurance fund reaches $200,000 no further premiums will be collected except to maintain the fund at that amount. Massachusetts has provided for the running of workingmen’s trains in the Boston suburban district between certain hours of the morning nnd evening, and for the sale of season tickets, for distance not exceeding fifteen miles, at a rate not exceeding $3 per mile n year, nnd quarterly anil weekly tickets at a rate not exceeding $1 a mile per quarter, and good for one ride each way six days of the week. Missouri passed a law designed to prohibit department stores by imposing high licenses on stores which carried goods in more than a certain number of designated groups of merchandise. The State Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional. Maryland, Massachusetts, Virginia, Vermont, New Hampshire and Rhode Island have prohibited the use of trading stamps. The Rhode Island law has been declared unconstitutional'. Ohio has authorized the board of control of the agricultural experiment stations to inspect nurseries, orchards and gardens, and to .treat trees Infected with disease. Plantk shipped into the Stat* must hear a certificate of inspection. Virginia has made' its board of control of the Stute experiment station a board of crop pest Commissioners, with power to appoint a State entomologist, with dutle* in the lipe of reports on Insect pests. lowa nnd New Jersey have created State library conimissioi** with a \jew to assisting cities and towns iu the establishment of libraries nnd to co-operat* with local lifcrAiy boards in selecting books and providing suitable management for the libraries. There are now fifteen States with library commissions, their duties being similar to above. Mississippi was the only State to pas* anti trust legislation in 1900. There ar* now twenty-nine States with anti-trust law*.