Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-18
SENT TO GOVERNORS
Propositions Endorsed by UNI
form Laws Conference.
MINORITY REPORT MADE
Objections From Representative of
New York Merchants.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT SOUGHT
Consideration Denied Resolution on
Divorce-Permanen Officers
Chosen.
UNANIMOUS CONSENT SOUGHT

X Banking laws. control of corporations,
taxation and road and automobile laws
formed the principal topics of discussion
at todays session of the conference on
uniform state laws, being held at the
Arlington Hotel under the auspices of
| the National Civic Federation. Addresses
on these subjects were read by men from
various sections of the country, repre-
senting numerous commercial and civic
organizations.
AS the session was called to order by
Judge Parker the committee on organi-
zation, Thomas w. Shelton Of Virginia,
chairman. recommended for permanent
officers Alton b. Parker, New York.
chairman; John NJ. Stahl. Illinois, secre-
tary: Serene S. Pratt, New York, and
Jerome Jones. Atlanta, assistant secre-
taries, and John Hays Hammond, Massa-
chusetts, treasurer. These officers were
elected unanimously.
Resolutions Adopted.
Seth Low, chairman of the committee
on resolutions. read the report from his
committee, which was adopted unan-
imously, as far as the vote went. al
| though Edwin D. Page. representing the
Merchants Association of New York. who
was a member of the committee. read
dissenting paper, which he offered in
place Of a minority report. The reSolu-
tons adopted by the conference provided
THAT the national conference on uni
form laws advise the governors of the
states now in session here that it in
dorses the note prepared by the COM
missioners on uniform laws and hopes
that the states which have not already
done SO will without delay enact these
measures into law: The negotiable in
struments act. the warehouse receipts
act and the uniform divorce act.
Three other resolutions recommended
by the committee were adopted unani-
mously.
They provided that every state and
territory which has made no appropria-
ton for the work of the commissioners
on uniform state laws be urged to make
suitable appropriation annually for the
efficient conduct of that work.
THAT the states and territories which
have not already appointed commission
ers on uniform state laws be urged to
appoint such commissioners as soon
practicable.
THAT this national conference on uni
form legislation recommend to the gov
erners' conference that efficient and uni
form legislation should be adopted to
suppress and prevent the procurement
of women for immoral purposes. KIN" Sn
generally under the name of the white
slave traffic. and that the commission
ers on uniform state laws be requested
to draft a bill which will carry into ef-
feet the foregoing recommendation"
Pure Food and Drug Acts.
The national pure food and drug acts
was also Endorsed by a resolution an
nouncing that this convention recommend
the adoption of this model uniform stat
ute by the legislatures of all states which
have not already SO acted. and urge
upon the governors aud legislatures of
all states that they approve and pass
only such food and>drug laws or amend
ments thereto are modelled after the
provisions of the national law
Objections of the Minority.
In voicing the objections as tho repre-
sentative of the Merchants Association
to the resolutions first adopted Mr.. Page
said in part:
In our judgment. these drafts OF laws.
in some particulars. have gone beyond
tho proper limits of d codification and
declaration Of we'll esta blished principles
of the law merchant, and by the intro
duction OF elements, novel ia character
and revolutionary in effect, are proposing
to apply to our mercantile practice prn-
tiples which we believe arc i'll adapted to
merchants. must practice our profession.
1T must be remembered, in speaking
of New York. that in this metropolis is
found the contamination. if not the in
ception, of a large majority, i'm volume,
OF the entire business transactions of the
United States. and that, therefore, what
ever affects these transactions affects. in
peculiar way, the entire trade of the
whole country.
I'VE hold that it is most important to
consider not only the legal, but the
psychological and sociological effects of
the laws by which it is proposed that
we be governed. As is well known in
psychology and sociology, as well as in
medicine. the largest effects are often
produced by the most minute causes
Great disasters follow the bite of the
mosquito or the pin prick of the sur |
geon's knife. So it is with legislation !
which is defective from the standpoint |
of human nature. An apparently insig- |
nifcant and unconsidered inducement to |
fraudulent practice produces the most |
far-reaching consequences upon the char |
acter of numberless human beings, born |
and unborn. Our experience leads us to |
believe that such opportunity, such in |
ducement, exists in some sections of some |
of the bills for which your approval is |
and we should be false to our faith as |
representatives of the mercantile COM
munty did We fail to point them out, |
which we have done in detail before your
committee on resolutions.
The Divorce Question.
Mrs. Abigail Scott Dunaway. represent
ing the state of Oregon. asked unanimous