The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-11
(National News Association


SPRING LAKE, N. ]. Sept. IL
Employers liability, the Inheritance
tax, the right Of the state to fix intra-
state traffic. rates, state control of
public utilities, and problems of pris-
on labor are among the chief topics
that will be discussed by the house
of governors which meets here tomor-
row and stays in session through Sat
urday. The possibilities of the Gov.
ernor's conference, Uniform Divorce
Legislation" and Strengthening the
Power of the Executive" are other i'm
portant subjects of national interest
that will be considered.
Thirty state executives are already
here, the weEtern governors arriving
this afternoon on special car from
Chicago, and seven others are expect
ed tomorrow morning, which will
bring the total attendance up to four
more than attended the original con-
ference called by President Roosevelt
in Washington. President Taft is ex-
pected to attend some of the meet
ings in honor of the conclave.
OF Serious Nature.
In contrast to the first one, this
House of Governors is of strictly
serious nature. 1t is a working con-
ference, for the exchange of ideas.
Last year there were too many social
doings, and the governors, when they
appointed Governor Woodrow Wilson
chairman of the committee on pro-
gram directed him to see that most
of the time this year be devoted to bus
mess. Accordingly there are are only
two social events arranged, a recep-
tion by Governor and Mrs. Wilson and
dinner by the members of the re-
ception committee at the Casino.
While there is no place provided for
1t upon the program, the question OF
uniform divorce laws is expected to
take up much of the time of the Gov
ernors. In statements today, twenty
three of the governors declared them
selves in favor of uniformity of the
laws, either by federal enactment OF
a general agreement, upon a statue to
be adopted by the various state legis-
lators. All these expressed the hope
that definite result would be reach
ed at the conference. Governors Had
ley, of Missouri, and Hoke Smith, of
Georgia, declined to express their
lopinions.
In stating their views, many of the
governors intimated that for legal
reasons a federal law would be inad-
visable. But it was generally admit
ted that common agreement could
be reached on the grounds for d.
vorce and the question of remarriage
for divorced persons which would be
acceptable to the legislatures sof the
various states. Many of the execu-
tives declared that, while the divorce
laws in some states are too lax, they
are too severe in others, and that the
moral welfare Of the whole country
will be served best by broad COM
mon sense regulation of the marriage
contract
Welcomed BY Wilson.
Governor Wilson will open the con-
ference tomorrow morning with an ad-
dress of welcome. This will be re-
sponded to by Gov. Joseph n. Carey of
Wyoming. The first prepared paper
will be by Governor Augustus E. Will
son of Kentucky, whose subject is
Possibilities of the Governors Con-
ference" 1t is probable that, in the
discussion following this address,
plans will be made for establishing a
permanent reference bureau. with a
permanent secretary, to whom the ex-
ecutive can refer for Information,
which may be of value to all of them,
and through whom bulletins will be
published on topics of especial inter
est at stated periods. In a way this
work is now being done voluntarily by
William George Jordan, editor. author
and reformer. who originally suggest
/ ed the House of Governors, and who
has given much time to the work be