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The Green Bag

Committee on Jurisprudence and Law Re form, advocating the commission form of municipal government for all cities of a given population, the change being brought about by a constitutional amendment if necessary. John Bell Keeble read a splendid eulogy on Judge William Frierson Cooper," of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, who died last May. The Association approved a form of oath of admission to the Tennessee bar, in connection with the American Bar Associa tion's code of legal ethics. The attendance was large at the annual meeting of the Virginia State Bar Association at Virginia Hot Springs, on August 10-12. The president's address was delivered by Captain Micajah Woods, his subject being "The Value of General Culture in the Training of a Lawyer." Professor William M. Thornton of the University of Virginia gave an address on "Thomas Jefferson—as Man, Statesman, Lawyer and Politician." Papers were also read by Judge Robert R. Prentis of the State Corporation Commission, William W. Child of Norfolk, who discussed "Taxation in Virginia and our Relation to the Subject," and George E. Caskie of Lynchburg. Among those who responded to toasts at the banquet were Hon. Hannis Taylor, ex-Minister to Spain, and Hon. Rosewell Page of Hanover, who spoke on "The Uniformity of Legislation." A report on expert testimony in murder cases was received with some interest. The follow ing officers were elected: president, R. Walton Moore, of Fairfax; vice-presidents, Robert B. Tunsell, E. Chambers Goode, J. A. C. Keith, Abraham P. Staples, and John W. Chalkley; secretary and treasurer, John B. Miner of Richmond; executive committee, Aubrey E. Strode, Cardner L. Boothe, George A. Frick. Attorney-General Denman of Ohio opposed the poll tax as violative of the American prin ciple of equality before the law, and astonished members by disapproving of the constitu tional amendment proposed by tax experts, in a paper presented at the annual meeting of the Ohio Bar Association held at Put-inBay, O., July 6-8. The annual president's address was delivered by Hon. A. D. Follett of Marietta, O., and the program also included papers by Thomas Beer on "Coke Literature," by Hon. James R. Garfield on "Employer's Liability and Compensation Laws," and by Hon. Walter George Smith of Philadelphia on "Uniform Marriage and Divorce Laws." Congressman Samuel W. McCall of Massachu setts was to have delivered the annual address, his topic being, "The Importance of a Trained Bar in the Maintenance of Free Institutions," but was unable to be present. Mr. Garfield advocated the overthrow of employer's lia bility laws and the shifting of the burden of industrial accidents from the families of working men to the industries concerned. A committee was appointed to investigate this subject and suggest legislation needed in Ohio. The canons of professional ethics settled upon

by the American Bar Association were adopted and it was resolved that they be made a part of the subject-matter of bar examinations. Reports were adopted recommending that the term of office of the state supreme judges be lengthened to twelve years, and that the right to appeal from the judgments and final orders of the common pleas court to the circuit court be abolished and such judgments be reviewable only upon proceedings in error. The follow ing officers were elected: Judge J. B. Bur rows of Painesville, president; E. B. Carter of Columbus, secretary, and C. F. Gilmore of Dayton, treasurer. At the fourteenth annual meeting of the Maryland State Bar Association, held at Old Point Comfort, Va., July 7-9, President Wil liam C. Devecmon's opening address dealt largely with the elective franchise in Mary land and the representation of Baltimore in the legislature. He judged it to be the current belief that if the Fifteenth Amendment were now for the first time to be submitted to the states, few, if any of them, would vote for it. Arthur W. Machen, Jr., of Baltimore, read a paper discussing incorporation laws, referring to the Taft tax as discriminatory. He also insisted that a sound and distinct theory for incorporation laws should be found, and suggested the adoption of an interstate law, or statutory rule, to apply to corporations which do not live up to their declared pur pose. By vote of the meeting, Mr. Machen was directed to draw up a draft of a model incorporation law. The Committee on Legal Education deplored a "marked deficiency in English education" among candidates for admission to the bar. Herbert W. Noble, of New York, spoke on the "Sherman AntiTrust Act and Industrial Combinations," and Omer F. Hershey of Baltimore, on "Covenants Without the Sword." The committee on the Torrens system recommended deferring action until the Supreme Court shall have rendered its decision. On the second day, reform in the presentation of expert testimony by the appointment of experts by the state courts was debated. The question was referred to a conference committee composed of the com mittees of the Baltimore City Bar Associa tion and of the State Bar Association which had both drafted bills on the subject. A resolution bearing on the jury system was referred to the Committee on Laws for con sideration. Th# resolution, which was offered by William B. Smith of Baltimore, provides for verdicts rendered by three-quarters of the jury only, except in trials for felonies, and prescribes that in the trial of criminal cases the jury shall be the judges of facts and not of the law. On the same day the association heard four addresses, Mr. Justice Henry B. Brown, formerly of the United States Supreme Court, speaking in the morning on "The Law and Procedure in Divorce," an address which has since received some publicity in the press; Albert A. Doub discussing "The Elec tion of United States Senators," Chief Justice Simeon E. Baldwin of the Supreme Court of