133
The National Civic Federation license or incorporation of trusts and
regulation of railways and regulation
American Bar Association to suggest remedies and formulate proposed laws to prevent delays and unnecessary cost in litigation, held a joint meeting in New York. After quoting the general principles of practice reform adopted by the committee at the last annual session of the American Bar Association, which are substantially those proposed by the American Bar Association, the report
of corporations were among the matters
said :—
their regulation by a commission, with such powers as that established by the Canadian combines act of May, 1910. On the second day, Hon. Alton B. Parker being in the chair, the entire morning was given up to a symposium on the need of legislation. Banking, taxation, insurance. pure drugs and foods,
discussed.
“Some of those suggested principles
“We are one great family of states," said Judge Parker, in his opening re
marks, "and there is no need why New York State should take advantage of the citizens of California, Minnesota
or any other state. There is no reason why there should not be a uniform cor poration law. If there were, no one state, for the purpose of adding money, could then set loose corporations with charters so broad that many states would not think of granting them for
may in certain jurisdictions require constitutional amendments, but what ever is necessary will in some way be
accomplished.
The proportions of the
task which your committee has under taken can scarcely be underestimated.
There is no conservatism so forceful as that which insists upon leaving things as they are; and many lawyers are loath
to express themselves freely on this subject because they fear that criticisms
Board of
of the system under which the laws are administered, may be construed as criticisms of the courts working under the system. “It is not intended by those who seek
that name. The building of good roads he declared was a matter of economy
expressions of disrespect concerning the
a minute." The first subject discussed was good
roads building by John A. Stewart, chairman of the National
and had no relation to politics. He said that he hoped that the Cocks bill would be passed, which would make the building of roads a national matter. Amasa M. Eaton of Providence, R. I .,
followed with an address on the need of national uniformity of laws in commer
cial bills. REFORM or PROCEDURE
One of the most important subjects brought before the morning session was the report of the committee on reform
in legal procedure, read by its chairman, Ralph W. Breckenridge of Nebraska. The committee in its report said that the committee and the committee of the
to achieve procedural reform to provide judiciary of America.
The idea is to
magnify the law, and to do away with
those things which hinder and embarrass its administration and which them selves provoke much of the current popular dissatisfaction with the ad ministration of justice in the United States. ~ “This great organization can accom plish no greater good than to promote simplicity in the administration of law without undue expense and unnecessary
delay. “When a procedural system shall be in operation under which technicalities of practice and procedure and useless
appeals shall be done away with. the
