EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT cember Times Magazine (V. I, p. 68), see edi torial page. PUBLIC POLICY. "The Abuse of the Homestead Law," by H. J. Hughes, American Lawyer (V. xiv, p. 350). PUBLIC POLICY. " Legal Experiments for Increasing the Population," by G. S. Holmestead, Canadian Law Review (V. v, p. 417). PUBLIC POLICY. " Exigencies which Seem to Require the Calling of a Constitutional Convention in Missouri," by T. A. Sherwood, Central Law Journal (V. lxiii, p. 431). PUBLIC POLICY (See Criminal Law and International Law). RAILROADS. " The Law of Railroad Rate Regulation," with Special Reference to Ameri can Legislation, full discussion of Pro cedure and Approved Forms, by Joseph H. Beale, Jr., and Bruce Wyman, pp. Hi, 1285. Wm. J. Nagle, Boston, 1906. $6.00. One of the questions of greatest public interest during the past year has been the question of railroad rate regulation by the government of the United States. After much agitation and discussion, and considerable pressure and counter-pressure, the Railroad Rate Act of 1906, amending and extending the scope of the functions of the Interstate Commerce Commission under the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, was passed. Unlike many questions exciting popular interest, this question of railroad rate regulation is pecu liarly a legal question, and, as is natural to day in this country, agitation of the question has resulted in the production of a vast amount of literature dealing with it. It is particularly gratifying under these circumstances to find one book that is of value, and that adds something to the literature of the law. The authors very truly say that "A treatise which merely collected and discussed judicial decisions upon railroad rates would be a very imperfect work. The law of rail road rates is based upon the general principles of public service law and cannot be mastered without an adequate knowledge of that law. The first task of the authors, therefore, has been to give a sufficient though concise view of such portions of the primary obligations of those in public employment, and particularly
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of carriers, as bears essentially on the problem of rates." For this purpose the authors are unusually well fitted. Professor Beale has for many years, and Professor Wyman has more recently, devoted much time and attention to the study of the duties, obligations, liabilities, and privileges attendant on the participation by corporations in the profession of public service. This topic is taken up in Book I, entitled "Fundamental Principles Governing Rail road Service," which covers some 290 pages. Chapter I, an " Historical Introduction," clearly and in an interesting manner brings out the fundamental distinctions between public callings and private callings, the early recognition of the distinctions, and the devel opment of them in the course of time. Atten tion may also be called to Chapter IV, an interesting chapter on the " Public Profes sion of the Common Carrier." The remainder of the volume is divided into two books: Book II dealing with " Regula tion of Rates in Accordance with Common Law Principles; " and Book III with " Regu lation of Railroad Rates by Legislation." The chief original contribution of the authors is contained in Book II, no full collection of cases or statement of the theory underlying regulation in accordance with common law principles ever having been attempted before. This covers more than five hundred pages of the volume, and is the major portion of the work. In Book III, a first chapter is given to a brief history of statutory regulations in Eng land and in the United States. In succeed ing chapters the Interstate Commerce Act, with the amendments by the Act of 1906, is given in full, and elaborate annotations cov ering the decisions of the Interstate Com merce Commission and of the courts follow each section of the statute. At the same time, references are given to earlier chapters of the book in which the subject matter of the section has been discussed in its common law aspect. This annotation of the act should prove of considerable value. Six chapters are given to a statement, with notes, of state statutes. In each of these chapters the state statutes are given only as they deal with a particular topic; extortion
