Evening star., 1913-12-09
Laws of States
a Hdrie- F-or .

Laws of States it would be Il
tremendous uu-
Hdrie~ Foo - dertakins to cod
Ify tn hundreds OF thousands % stat
utes tGa: the forty-eisht states have en-
ac:el =. u al G attempting to enforce. and
al shc - me tisne 10 cite the cases in wh Oh
these laws have been Interpreted. There
are .osty-e.ght legislatures in the country,
and = Uould be difficult II find any two
o, tn same mind on any given sub
Jet The viewpoints of these Bodies
difer the needs of the peop,e vary, and
the eitGatiCnS 10 be met are seldom the
same What Wisconsin supports would
not 1T New York. and wh~t Kansas be-
leses III would be a mistit IN South Caro-
liI&. So X happens tat there viii ever
be a clasaing OF state laws that even the
best efforts Of those UEo are working
for uniformity can never overcome
But there are some laws Of STATE en-
actment which have peculiar bearing
on interstate affairs. For instance, the
marriage and divorce laws OF the various
states have made IL possible for citizens
10 violate the laws of their own state
and still 80 unscathed. Uniform rail-
road laws and uniform bills of lading are
desirable. as are many other laws of in
tcrstate interest. but which are without
the province of federal Jurisdiction.
Prof. Sherman objects to the way
in which the states plunge ahead and
enact laws, each state looking solely to
Itself and without due regard 10 the
rights of the people OF other states. He
says that all this is but the assertion of
The doctrine of states rights in another
FORM He would have one Law for the
whole United States, and declares that
the enactment of diverse state laws is
beneficial 10 only one class of citizens
!. e, the pettifogging lawyers TO whom
conflict OF laws means augmented liti
CATION. He contends that there is no
good reason why all laws, state and ma
tional, should not be uniform. even
though the United States is country
as large all OF Europe and with in
ierests fully as diverse In proof of this
assertion ne points 70 our uniform natura-
lization and admiralty laws. and insists
shat uniformity Of law through congress
SIGNAL enactment. no matter what its
nature. has never worked III to the
geoI.,c.
The progress of the movement toward
FHlforT laws in the United States has
hcea f2nid In 50 far as 1t sovers matters
q tai import 70 all the people. Forty
81 TIC states have already passed the
uniform negotiable instrument law.
vi ca was first published in lsJG and
fa oi them now nave the uniform
warehouse receirts law. Ten states have
aTcpted the uniform sales law while
II. N nave taken up and passed the uni
form bills Of lading law. Six states have
ne tne uniform stock transfer act. four
n uniform deseytiou act and three the
Uniform divorce law.
There are other model Laws that have
he"n drafted or are under consideration
hy the confer
Other Uniform Lsw ence Of commits
Are Being U.ce f,oners lone -, .. on UNI III.
organized under the auspices of the
American Bar Association. one Of
these is uniform Law on child
labor intending to oquaiize the work
ing conditions Of children in all the
states. \ uniform marriage and marriage
license act has proved TO be one of the
most desirable pieces of legislation that
could be enacted. The thousands of
marriages OF runaway couples every week
IN the year. in which couples vino could
not legal y marry at home run away
t. another state and are married there.
defyin1 the law of their own state i'll so
doing attest 10 the necessity Of Ii uni
form marriage license Law. Indeed. the
practice Is 50 common that few citizens
I6aliZe the gravity of the situation. \
state may enact and attempt 10 enforce
a law exacting high matrimonial stand
simple eXpedient Of slipping across the
border. Here is not only Il vii full tam
perin@ with the sacred institution of mar
riaee. but the deliberate defiance by citi-
zens of the laws of the commonwealth
whose citizens they are.
Uniform workiuSmen's compensation
law has also been recommended. The
need Of uniformity is apparent in the
case nf mechanics liens. which are so
diverse that they are almost at cross puT-
poses ~ many conlmonwe;ilths.
Insurance and taxation are two other
LEGAL phases Of such great interstate i'm
FoTtance that uniform laws covering their
general features are asked by the con
ference. Most important Is the PROPOSAL
OF "a uniform Law on the position of prop
erty for taxation purposes. ON the one
hand. THOUSANDS OF uuscrupulous tax
Sodgers avoid taxation on much OF their
property by claiming residence where
they do not have right 10 claim il
Other thousands. on tire other hand pay
doue.e taxes because they feel that the
law 50 requires. paving both in the state
.%here the property is situated and in the
state Of their residence.
Those who advocate uniformity of the
JAWS by the cooperation of the several
states be-
Failure of States fieye II
Means Ieders o'iy h'.res
this uniformity snail apliv merely To pub