The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1901-01-03

Inc bulletin Is prepared by Robert IL.
Whitten. Ph. o.. sociology librarian. and
il diGeSts and organizes the large amount
of legislation enacted by State IegiSla-
lures. An interesting feature of the bull
letin is its review Of the most important
and distinctive legislation of the year, in
dicating the trend of legislation by refer
cnce to laws of previous years.
Under the head of suffrage it is noted
that 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. lily con-
cealed, the disfranchi<ement of the illit-
crate negroes of the State. 1t is similar
to 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 ma
chimes are steadily gaining in favor. The
first law permitting the use of voting
machines was pnssed in New York in
1892: during the year Rhode Island has
created a voting machine commission to
examine machines and make provisions
for their use: in Iowa the use of voting
machines has been authorized, and COM
mission has been appointed to make in
vestigationS as Ia the merits of the ma
chimes now on the market.
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Iowa passed law providing for the
appointment of tax inquisitors to dis
cover personally omitted from the tax
lists. Ii is similar to the Ohio law on
the same subject. Missouri has adopted
q constitutional amendment providing for
the exemption of the amount of a mort
gage in the taxation of incumbered prop
erty. The nominal owner of the property
Is assessed for the amount of the proper
ty less the mortgage, and the owner Of
the mortgage is assesstd the amount OF
the mortgage. Virginia has provided for
tax of 81 on the seals of all courts and
notaries by means of an adhesive stamp
TO be affixed to the instrument requiring
the seal. So far as is known this is the
only instance of State using stamps for
the collection of taxes. New Jersey has
adopted franchise tax similar in some
respects to that adopted by New York in
1899. 1t taxes all persons and corpora
hohS USING hSHNasS, StIettS anu PuphC
places, except railroad and canal COM
panies.
Rhode Island has created State COM
mission to build and maintain sidepaths.
4 license fee of 30 cents to 81 may be
imposed to form n sidepath fund. Mary
land also has sidepath commission.
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Mississippi. South Carolina and Vir-
ginia have revised their laws providing
for pensions for ind:~ent Confederate
veterans. and Louisiana has adopted n
constitutional amendment increasing an
nual appropriations for pensions.
In Iowa the State board of control has
been authorized 10 supervise county and
private institutions for the insane. Mas
sachusetts has followed the example of
New York, Ohio and Wyoming in pro-
viding for State control and support of
all insane persons committed to institu-
tions.
Louisiana will abolish the present sys-
TEN of leasing convicts as soon as the
present lease expires, which will be
March 3. 1901. \ number Of States have
provided for the release on probation of
convicted juvenile offenders. Massachu-
setts. Vermont and New Jersey have ex-
tended this system to adult convicts. A
Kentucky law provides that the board Of
prison commissioners may parole convicts
in the penitentiary for the first time. Pa
rolled prisoners are not required to re-
main in the State, but il 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 constitutional
amendment establishing board of par
dons. consisting of the Governor. AttOr-
ney General, chief justice of the SUI
preme Court and two persons appointed
by the Governor.
South Carolina has decided to make an
experiment in State insurance. The
State will carry its own risks on all State
and county public buildings except school
houses. Beginning with Jan. l, 1901,
half the amount now paid for premiums
on city and county buildings will be paid
to the commissioners of the sinking fund
for an insurance fund. When the insur-
ance fund reaches S200.O00 no further
premiums will be collected except to
maintain the fund at that amount.
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Massachusetts has provided for the
running of workingmen's trains in the
Boston suburban district between certain
hours of the morning and evening. and
for the sale of season tickets, for dis
tance not exceeding fifteen miles, at
rate not exceeding S3 per mile year.
and quarterly and weekly tickets at
rate not exceeding 81 mile per qnartec.
and good for one ride each way six days
of the week.
Missouri passed law designed to pro-
hibit department stores by imposing high
licenses on stores which carried goods in
more than certain number of designated
groups of merchandise. The State Su-
preme Court declared the law unconstitu
tional Maryland. Massachusetts, Vir-
ginia. Vermont, New Hampshire and
Rhode Island have prohibited the use of
trading stamps The Rhode Island law
has been declared unconstitutionay.
-:
Ohio has authorized the board of con-
troll of the agricultural experiment sta
tions to inspect nurseries. orchards and
gardens. and TO treat trees infected with
disease. Plants shipped into the State
must bear n certificate of inspection. vir-
ginia has made its board of control of
the State experiment station board of
crop pest commissioners, with power to
appoint State entomologist, with duties
in the line of reports on insect pests.
Twenty States now have laws bearing OH
the same subject.
iowa and New Jersey have created
State library commissions with view
to assisting cities and towns in the estab
lishment of libraries and to cooperate
with local library boards in selecting
books and providing suitable management
for the libraries. There are now fifteen
States with library commissions, their
duties being similar to the above.
Mississippi was the only State to pass
antitrust legislation in 1900. There are
now twpnty-nine States with antitrust