This measure emanated from the Maryland State Bar Association, through whose influence and efforts it became a law. Mr. George Whitelock, President of the Maryland State Bar Association, in his address to that association this year, stated that a similar pension bill had just failed in the New York legislature, but regulations resembling those of Maryland are now effective in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In Connecticut the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court is $6500 per annum; at the age of seventy these judges retire, but they are appointed state referees, with an allowance of $2000 per annum. In Massachusetts a judge of the Supreme Court receives $9000 per annum. Resigning at seventy, he is paid three-fourths of his former salary, or say, $6750 per annum. The Supreme Court judges of Rhode Island receive each $5500 per annum. They are entitled to the same allowance after their retirement. Of course, we are all familiar with the federal law continuing the salaries of judges, where they have served ten years and reached the age of seventy, during the residue of their natural lives.

Two constitutional amendments passed both houses of the General Assembly by the requisite majority of three-fifths, but the governor refused to sign either of them, and the question. exists whether his approval is essential. One of the amendments deals with the suffrage question. The qualifications of voters are: ability to read any section of the state constitution, or to understand the same when read and give a reasonable explanation of it; or the right under the law of any state in the union to vote on January 1, 1869, or prior thereto, or lineal descent from any person so entitled to vote. The other amendment authorizes the expenditure of not more than $200,000 annually in the construction and maintenance of public highways, and shows that Maryland is in line with other progressive states upon the question of good roads.

MASSACHUSETTS.

Massachusetts, as usual, has been conservative in her legislation, but has dealt with many minute things, among others: The keeping of bloodhounds is prohibited, except an English bloodhound of pure blood whose pedigree is recorded or would be entitled to record in the English bloodhound herd book, unless such dog is kept solely for exhibition, in which case he shall be kept securely enclosed or chained, and not allowed at large unless securely muzzled.

Cities and towns are authorized to contribute money, material or labor toward the cost of state highways within their limits.

Towns may appropriate not more than $500 for band

concerts.

The evening law school of the Boston Young Men's Christian Association is incorporated, and authorized to grant the degree of bachelor of law upon completion of four years course. Among the incorporators are Dean Ames, of Harvard Law School; Samuel C. Bennett, formerly Dean of Boston University Law School, and ex-Judge Dunbar, all of whom are members of the American Bar Association. The personnel of these incorporators would seem to settle the question, about which there has been some difference of opinion, that night law schools are a necessity of the times.

Hospital ambulances are given the same right of way as that of fire engines and police wagons in cities and towns.

The public performance or representation of an unpublished or undedicated dramatic or musical composition, without the consent of the proprietor and with notice that such composition is unpublished and undedicated, is made a misdemeanor punishable by fine or imprisonment or both.

It is exacted that in all trials in inferior courts male and female prisoners shall not be placed at the same time in the same dock, unless they are complained of jointly; and persons committed to any workhouse or almshouse for vagrancy,

drunkenness, petit larceny or as night walkers shall be confined in separate quarters, apart from the pauper inmates.

The word "noon" occurring in the Massachusetts standard fire insurance policy shall be construed to be the noon of standard time of the place where the insured property is situated.

The Bertillon system of measurements of criminals for purposes of identification is extended to prisoners who are under sentence as tramps or vagrants.

In cities of over 50,000 inhabitants cheap lodging houses (twenty-five cents or less per day) accommodating ten or more persons are declared public lodging houses, requiring a license from the police department and subject to rigid inspection by the building, health and police departments. Every such place must keep a registry of patrons with time of arrival and departure.

The authority of the railroad commissioners is extended to embrace steamship companies serving as common carriers between two or more parts of the commonwealth throughout the year.

The act of 1902 relative to the powers of the board of conciliation and arbitration is amended.

This state guards her own by requiring that in the employment of mechanics and laborers in the construction of public works by the commonwealth or counties or cities or towns preference shall be given to citizens of the commonwealth, and if they cannot be had in sufficient numbers to citizens of the United States.

Selectmen of towns which accept the act by two-thirds vote are authorized to retire and pension certain members of the police and fire departments. Such persons shall receive onehalf pay and be subject to temporary duty in emergency, when they shall have full pay.

It is provided that employees of manufacturing, mercantile and mechanical establishments entitled to vote shall not be employed on election days during the period of two hours after the opening of the polls.

The registration of the insignia, ribbons, badges, rosettes and emblems of any society, association or labor union is authorized and the wearing of them by persons not members is prohibited under penalty of fine or imprisonment.

Giving or promising to an employee any gift or gratuity with intent to influence his action in reference to his employer's business is made a criminal offense; in other words, "graft" is prohibited.

The State Board of Bar Examiners shall hereafter receive their compensation and expenses from the fees of petitioners for admission, which fees are fixed at the sum of fifteen dollars, and a citizen of another state and an alien who has made primary declaration shall be entitled to admission to practice if found qualified, whether man or woman.

Street railways are authorized to act as common carriers of baggage and freight upon such part of the railways and to such extent in any city or town as may be approved by the board of aldermen of cities or selectmen of towns, subject, however, to the certificate of the railroad commissioners that public necessity or convenience so require.

An excise tax of three per cent. is imposed upon the gross receipts from the sale of goods for which trading stamps are given.

An act creates the office of State Forester, who shall establish a nursery for the propagation of forest tree seedlings at the Agricultural College and distribute seeds and seedlings to land

owners.

The expenditure of $1000 by the Board of Commissioners for the promotion of uniformity of legislation in the United States is authorized.

A company for the purpose of generating and distributing music electrically is incorporated.

Another act provides for the licensing of theaters and public halls by municipal authorities and for the inspection of them in regard to structural condition, liability to fire, arrangement of exits and other safety provisions.

The provisions of the statutes relative to caucuses of political parties are applied to their caucuses held for the choice of delegates to conventions to elect delegates to national conventions.

An act provides for the payment to veterans of the Civil War, honorably discharged, who served to the credit of Massachusetts $125 each. (This act was vetoed by the governor and afterwards received a two-thirds vote of members present of the House of Representatives and of the Senate. The attorney general, however, gave an opinion to the effect that the act has not the force of law because it did not receive a two-thirds vote of the whole membership of the House, and the governor requested the opinion of the Supreme Court on this point and as to its constitutionality, and the court has delivered an opinion against its constitutionality.)

NEW JERSEY.

New Jersey makes it a misdemeanor to mutilate the flag of the United States or the flag of the state or to cause to be placed thereon any inscription or advertisement. This looks. like a parting of the ways of that state from commercialism. The improvement of the condition of tenement houses is vided for and a board of tenement house supervision established.

An act was passed regulating the employment of children in factories and establishing a department for the enforcement of the act. It provides that no child under the age of fourteen years shall be permitted to work in any factory and prescribes numerous regulations for the protection of operatives.

The act for the regulation and incorporation of insurance companies was amended by providing that when by the laws of any other state or foreign country any taxes or other imposition in excess of those imposed by the laws of this state upon insurance companies are imposed upon insurance companies of this state doing business in such other state or country, then the same impositions shall be imposed by this state; and when the insurance commission of another state or country shall