Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-04
SHOULD Be UNIFORM
State Laws on Subjects of
Common Interest.
CONFERENCES TO BE HELD
Matter to Be Considered by National
Civic Federation.
EXPLAINED BY SETH Low
Governors Called to Meet Represent
atives of Labor and Capital
at the Same Time.
EXPLAINED BY SETH Low

National. Civic Federation, is greatly
pleased at President Taft's expressed
willingness to attend and make the prin-
cipal address at the conference Of the
federation in Washington January II. Is
and 49, In statement to a Star re-
porter Mr.. Low outlined the scope and
purpose of. the federation. He said:
THE National Civic Federation has
been led to believe that one of the most
important questions with which our
country, as a whole, is confronted is
the necessity for reasonably uniform leg
islation by the different states of the
Union on many subjects Of common in
terest For example, If one Industrial
state makes a change in the law of
master and servant or Of negligence 1t
may unwittingly greatly endanger its
manufacturing industries, but If the COM
petitive industrial states will move cor
respondingly along the same lines no one
of them is likely to be endangered, and
the whole country may be greatly bene-
flied.
Matters Of Common Interest.
1.-The time has come when each state
must leg1slate on matters Of common in
terest from the point of view Of one of a
family of states, rather than from the
point of view of an individualism that
is self-suff1cient. Any one who has not
given particular attention to this sub
ject will be surprised at the great range
Of matters as to which the common life
Of the country has grown up to the point
Of needing uniform legislation by groups
0f Stof nv states.
ITO enumerate a few of the important
subjects: The great movement for the
conservation Of our natural resources In
augurated by President Roosevelt cannot
be carried to its perfect contamination
until these states adopt with consider
ably uniformity laws upon the subjects
Of forestry, water power and reclamation
Of land by irrigation. In the effort 70
propose suitable amendments to the
Sherman antitrust act our committee was
not unmindful of the fact that If saisfac-
tory amendments were finally made their
effect would be nullifled In many Inn
portant instances unless the antitrust
laws of the various states were made to
substantially conform.
Railway Regulation.
Probably no better illustration could be
given than that of railway regulation.
The interstate commerce commission, Of
course, can deal only with Interstate.
while the states can deal only with state
traffic. The confusion and conflict with
out uniform action can readily be mag
ined Each state has its own railway
commission.
These state commissions, slowly learn
ing it was essential to have uniform
principles of regulation. organized the
National Association Of State Railway
Commissioners. inviting first the cooper
alton of the interstate commerce commits
sfon- and afterward that of the railway
managers associations and the shippers
organizations. These four elements,
which may we'll be taken to represent
everybody, have substantially agreed
upon a number of important regulations
which to become effective will require
action by all the state legislatures.
1.-THE National Association of State
Bank Supervisors and the American
Banking Association have come to agree
ment on certain propositions upon which
they desire uniform state legislation. In
the matter of insurance. both life and
fire. national associations have been or
ganized and in the latter case are work
ing with the state supervisors Of insur-
ance nan effort to secure state Uniform
fly. The agricultural organizations, the
wholesale grocers. the wholesale drug
gists and a number of other national or
CARNATIONS are working for uniform pure
food laws.
Demands OF Labor.
THE labor organizations want uniform
workmen's compensation acts, uniform
legislation as to guarding dangerous ma
chinery. factory inspection, convict-made
products. regulation of the employment Of
women and children, etc, etc. Ihe
American Medical Association desires uni
formity on registration and preservation
of vital statistics. The National Grange
the American Automobile Association and
the American Roadmakers' Association
have united in the demand for uniform
state legislation on the regulation Of mo-
tor vehicles and the building of good
roads throughout the country.
Experts on taxation are agreed to-
day that uniform state legislation on the
subject is absolutely essential.
1.-The New England group of states met
a year ago to consider subjects pertaining
to its territory which needed uniform
action. The governors Of the southern
states have met to consider the problem
of child labor In the cotton industry Of
the south. Last, but not least. through
the initiation Of the American Bar Assoc
citation, a national organization COM
posed OF commissioners named by the
various governors has been working for
eighteen years to secure uniform state
laws in the matter OF negotiable in
struments, warehouse receipts. bills OF la
ding and stock certificates and on two of
these subjects has finally secured uni
formity in thirty-six states. 1t is
now working for a uniform divorce law,
the supreme necessity for which grows
out of the fact that a child, under the va
rious state divorce laws, may be legfti-
mate in one state. but illegitimate in an
other state. condition abhorrent to
every thinking person.
The Conference Next Month.
'In order to further a better under
standing OF the situation and Of the need
for common action by the states on many
subjects, the federation has called a ma
tional conference to meet in Washington
on the 18th. 18th and 10th Of January,
1910. President Taft Is so much inter-
ested in the subject and has SO strong a
sense of the wisdom of the movement