ernor of Ohio, in obedience to a general public sentiment throughout the State appointed an honorary tax commission to examine the tax laws and recommend such changes or amendments as would adjust any inequality existing in the burdens of taxation. This commission suggested that art. 12, sec. 2 be amended and that in place of the clause requiring that all property should be taxed by a uniform rule, the following should be substituted: "The general assembly shall have power to establish and maintain an equitable system for raising State and local revenue. It may classify the subjects of taxation so far as their differences justify the same, in order to secure a just return from each. All taxes and other charges shall be imposed for public purposes only and shall be just to each subject. The power of taxation shall never be surrendered, suspended, or contracted away." If this proposed amendment is passed by the legislature and favorably considered by the people, it will mean that this narrow, restraining constitutional limitation on the legislature and the tax system of the State, will be removed and the legislature allowed to introduce a system more in harmony with present day needs, demands and experiences. ROBERT ARGYLL CAMPBell. Home Rule in Taxation. A bill has been submitted to the Rhode Island legislature, which, if passed, will provide for home rule in taxation by permitting any town or city to exempt certain forms of personal property and improvements. It states that if one-tenth of the qualified electors of any town or city file a petition with the town or city clerk asking that the electors may cast their ballots for or against the exemption of personal estate, or improvements, or both, from taxation, then the town or city clerk must give notice that such petition has been filed, in his warrant calling the town, ward, or district meeting and must also provide ballots having the issue asked for in the petition printed thereon. If a majority of the electors voting at the election are in favor of exempting either personal property or improvements, or both, then such property is to be exempt and the town or city may assess its ratable estate in excess of one and one-half per cent of its ratable value. ROBERT ARGYLL CAMPbell. Telephone and Telegraph Companies Regulation. A bill (H. B. no. 763) has been introduced in the Ohio legislature of 1908 regulating and declaring telephone and telegraph companies whose lines are wholly or partially within the State to be common carriers. The railroad commission of Ohio is given power to fix and regulate rates within the State, to determine how and in what manner telephone and telegraph companies may occupy public thoroughfares of cities and villages when local authorities fail to grant such rights and privileges. In fixing and regulating telephone rates, the railroad commission is to fix a reasonable rate based upon the number of subscribers, not in the aggregate, but according to the number of bona fide subscribers for telephone service which each of such telephone companies may have, but in no case is the rate so fixed to exceed a dividend earning of 8 per cent of the money actually invested by such company in its equipment. Telephone companies are required to perform all necessary acts to connect their respective lines so that the patrons of one can talk direct to the patrons of other lines. Any willful delay in so connecting is declared an offense under the provisions of the act. In case of disagreement between the companies, the railroad commission is to order such physical connection, prescribe the manner and apportion the cost. The bill forbids the charging of patrons of a connected line a fee in excess of that charged its own customers for similar service from the connected station to the same place, and provides that the charge for the interchange of local service shall not exceed five cents for a three minutes' talk, the charges to be prorated between the connecting companies. The railroad commission is to receive and hear complaints as to the service, rates, or the manner in which such telephone or telegraph companies are occupying the public highways so that it can expeditiously and effectively carry out the provisions of the act, and is given such other powers in the regulation of telephone and telegraph companies as it is authorized and empowered to do under the law creating the railroad commission. A penalty of not more than $500 for the first and not more than $1000 for each subsequent offense is prescribed. The Ohio legislators have introduced other bills relating to the regulation of telephone companies. H. B. no. 715 authorizes the councils of cities and villages to regulate and by ordinance fix telephone rates, and grants to the cities and villages accommodations for a fire and police telephone system free of charge. H. B. no. 908 enables municipalities, at the time of authorizing the mode of the use of the streets, to enter into contracts fixing rates. H. B. no. 1037 places telephone companies under the jurisdiction of the railroad commission of Ohio, provides for investigations as to the reasonableness of rates and services and grants to the railroad commission power to substitute a reasonable for an unreasonable rate, an adequate for an inadequate service. By this bill it is declared unlawful for two or more competing telephone companies, by contract, purchase and sale, or otherwise, to combine the exchange or exchanges, or any long distance or toll lines owned or controlled by either of them, or for any telephone company, to connect any telephone exchange owned or controlled by it with the toll or long distance lines of any competing company. LAURA SCOTT. Wage Boards in Sweated Industries. A bill providing for the establishment of wage boards in sweated industries has been introduced in the British parliament. The bill applies only to particular trades specified in the schedule, but the home secretary is empowered to extend its provisions to other trades. The wage boards are to be composed of representatives of employers and employees in equal numbers and a chairman chosen by the members or nominated by the home secretary. Power is given to the boards to fix a minimum rate for time-work or for piece-work and the rates may be varied according to the kind of work, the persons employed, or the locality of the employment. The payment of the minimum rate by employers is to be enforced by the factory inspectors and the payment of less than the minimum is made punishable by imprisonment. NEWS AND NOTES THE FIRST PAN-AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS The fourth Latin American Scientific Congress will meet in Santiago, Chile, on the twenty-fifth of December, 1908. It will convene under the auspices of the Chilian government. Previous congresses were held at Buenos Ayres, Montevideo and Rio de Janeiro. The present congress will be known as the First Pan-American Scientific Congress, because, for the first time, all the nations of America, North and South, have been invited to send representatives. The program embraces all the sciences and humanities. For political science, the following themes of discussion have been set by the committee of organization under the presidency of Valentin Letelier, rector of the national university of Chile: I. PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW 1. The influence which the discovery and conquest of America and its colonial development have exercised upon international law. 2. Principles of international law which, first proclaimed in American congresses, treaties, or practices, have since been accepted by European states. How far have these principles been the result of the special political and economic conditions in America? 3. The support which American countries have lent to certain international principles and conventions of a world-wide character. 4. The influence which the principles of international law have exercised over the domestic legislation in American countries. 5. Is there any possibility of the American states accepting a group of principles or rules of international law in respect to which as yet no general accord is possible? 6. Considering the particular conditions of the new continent, can we speak of the existence of an American international law, and what would be the conception which should be formed of this law, of its basis, and component materials? 7. Admitting the existence of an American international law, how should instruction in it be organized? 8. Bases for a codification of public and private international law on this continent. 1. How far the different forms of states recognized in international law can be applied to America. 2. Responsibility of the American governments for the acts of savage tribes which inhabit territories under their sovereignty, but not under their effective control. 3. Responsibility for acts of indigenous tribes which are under effective authority. 4. Responsibility for the acts of nomad tribes wandering within the frontiers of a state. 5. Responsibility for the acts of civilized persons or native tribes who are in disputed territories. 6. Responsibility for damage caused to foreigners in consequence of civil wars, strikes, and other interior commotions. 7. The importance of historical frontiers, or the uti possidetis of 1810. ner in which American countries have fixed their boundaries. The man 8. Uniform regulation, for the countries of America of neutrality in the case of civil war. 9. Is it desirable that the American states should adopt the principle of free navigation of international rivers? 10. The institution of nationality in America. III. CONVENTIONAL INTERNATIONAL LAW A. Critical study of the following conventions framed for the states of America in the second and third international conferences. 1. The reorganization of the international bureau of American republics. 2. Condition of naturalized citizens who renew their residence in the country of their birth. 3. Rights of foreigners. 4. Pecuniary claims for damages. 5. Exercise of liberal professions. 6. Sanitary police. 7. Patent and trade-mark legislation. 8. Literary and artistic property. 9. Exchange of official scientific, literary, and industrial publications. 10. Extradition and protection against anarchism. 11. Codification of public and private international law. B. Critical study of the following conventions framed in the South American congress of private international law. 1. International civil law. 2. International commercial law. 3. International penal law. 4. International law of procedure. (Montevideo.) IV. DIPLOMATIC HISTORY 1. General outline. 2. The Latin-American international conferences. 3. The international Pan-American conferences. 4. Movements of approach between American states-attempts of confederation and alliance. 5. Diplomatic reclamations against Latin-American states. |