Evening star., 1902-02-21

Section 1904, which is the first section Of
the chapter relating to negotiable instru-
ments, is amended In an important respect
by providing that the provisions of the
chapter shall not apply to negotiable in
struments made and delivered prior to Jan.
uary IL. 1899.
Service on Foreign Corporations.
Section 1887 Is amended in a material re-
spect with regard to the service Of process
upon officers or agents OF foreign corpora
tion doing business In the District Section
l62s is amended in an important respect.
Without this amendment it would be very
doubtful whether wills executed between
January IL, 1887. and January L. 1902 would
pass title as to after-acquired real estate.
although the testator might expressly de-
clare his intention Of having it do So Sec
tion 1875 Is amended by adding section
l633A, containing an important provision
with respect to the course to be pursued by
any person In whose possession or custody
a will or codicil shall be after the death of
the testator or testatrix. Section 16:S6 ID
acts and parts of acts relating to the ~r.
ganization and powers of vestries, trustees
or other governing bodies Of any religious
denomination. Section 1643 contains a pro-
vision That nothing contained in the code
shall be held to affect the term OF any iu-
diefal or other officer holding office when
this code goes into effect and operation ex-
cept when, as in the case Of the present
trary intention is manifested.
In the same direction section 204 was
amended by the following provision: THAT
all grand and petit juries In the Supreme
Court OF the District of Columbia and ali
petit juries in the Police Court Of said Dis
trict which shall have been organized OF
drawn under existing laws at the time this
code goes into effect shall serve out their
respective terms. and vacancies therein
shall be filled under existing laws
Amendments Should All Be Adopted.
AS has been said, these amendments were
presented to Congress In abundant time for
passage before the 1st OF January, 1902
have necessarily gone over these amend.
ments in a very general way. and have
omitted altogether to call attention to such
Of them, and these are many, which corr
rect misprints change the mere phrase
ology of the code. General as the review
has been, it is, however, sufficient to i'm.
press upon the mind of any one at all con.
versant with the subject the vital necessity
of passing these amendments at the earliest
possible moment.
1 have heard that 1t has been suggested
by certain members Of Congress that it
would be best not to take up any Of these
amendments until toward the end of the
session, in order that the practical opera
ton Of the code In the intervening period
may demonstrate what other amendments
than those now proposed will be needed.
beg to urge against this proposition that
while what 1t stated Is true, nevertheless
the great Importance to the protection Of
property and personal rights in passing the
amendments which have already been sugA
gested Is too apparent to need argument,
To particularize some OF the gravest del
fects in the code which are remedied by tho
proposed amendments would be dangerous.
because 1t would suggest frauds that might
be accomplished in the interval through this
deficiencies of the code. / can only say
generally that each day intervening before
the passage Of the amendments Involves in
certain respects danger to both personal
and. especially, to property interests. For
these reasons I respectfully urge that the
respective committees Of the Senate and OF
the House in charge should secure their
consideration at the earliest possible moi
ment. r. ROSS PERRY,