Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-29
UNIFORM STATE LEGISLATION

Vermont has often felt the need Of
uniform legislation among States.
This lack has been more Or less de-
bated in connection with the discus
sion of the problems of marriage and
divorce, but less in relation to other
topics.
Recent developments regarding the
great business, transportation and
economic problems have served to
Emphasize the necessity of uniform
measures among States in these direc-
tions. and this fact has been brought
out prominently at meetings of the
House of Governors, now an estab-
lished institution.
A still further step is being urged
by the National Civic Federation
which will hold it's eleventh annual
meeting in New York city January
70, 10 and "A, 1911. The state coun-
ellis. organized by the Federation dur
ing the past year to promote the uni
fcation and ordination OF State
and Federal laws. Will hold their first
national meeting in conjunction there
with. In addition there will be spe-
cial meetings of the various depart
ments of the Federation. The i'm
rortant topics Of the hour, in which
the Federation has been especially in
terested and which will be considered
are: Regulation Of corporations and
combinations: regulation Of railroads
and municipal utilities; compensation
for Industrial accidents; arbitration
and Cancellation.
State and federal regulation of corpora
| ions with the limitations of combinations
~ufacturing, finance, labor, agriculture
or other fields. will be considered a
of the program will lie a thorough eX'
position of the new act which went
IA tii''l "a 1oAoAt 80 ! q go
act provides that upon application of
| six citizens who complain against ;
corporation a Judge may order that
commission Of three he named, on,
member by the complainants, one y
the corporation and the third hy tn
two thus selected. The commission
is required to make an extended in
quiry and publish a report, which
must he accepted by the corporation
within ten days upon penalty IF {
fine of $1,000 a day.
Another feature of the program will
be a description Of the Potash Syndi
cate recently organized by the Ger
man government, in which the gov
eminent itself has a minority inter
est. The syndicate is practically
pool, fixes prices and regulates tn
output under government supervision
The same principle is being applied Il
that country to the electric an
whiskey industries.
While the United States Suprem
Court is expected to define clearly tn
Sherman antitrust act in the stan
ard Oil and American Tobacco case.
and in the injunction and anti-boycot
cases against the officers of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, that de
cision will not necessarily have an
bearing on the forty or more Stat
laws on the same subjects.
This need for uniformity in sta
regulation OF railroads and other pull
lie utilities, the coordination Of tn
laws governing the State railroa
commissions and the Interstate Con
merce law. made evident at the recel
hearings on the railroad rate questio,
and also the regulation Of publ
utilities by commissions will be di,
cussed.
The controversy over the propos
ton to increase railroad rates, no
before thu Interstate Commerce cor
mission, IL Of tremendous concern n
only to the stockholders. merchant
manufacturers and other shippers. b
also 70 tho thres million employ
working on tho railroads and in q
shops Of the railroad supply manufa
turers. 1t indirectly concerns 4
millions Of dspositors In savings ban
and policy-holders In insurance col
panies which are large investors
rotIrrol aocuPttiAe.