OHIO.

Biennial Session.-January 1st, 1900, to April 16, 1900. BOND AND INVESTMENT COMPANIES must deposit with the State Treasurer $100,000.00 in cash, or in bonds of the United States, the state or of some county or municipality, and make annual report of its business.

ENGINEERS operating engines with boilers of more than thirty horse power and locomotives must be examined and licensed.

A Chief Examiner is to be appointed by the Governor and six assistants are to be appointed by the chief.

FIRE. A State Fire Marshal is to be appointed by the Governor to investigate the causes of fires and prosecute all incendiaries.

HEALTH.-The Board of Health is to regulate the cutting and sale of ice.

HORTICULTURE.-Nurseries are to examined annually for contagious and infectious diseases, and all plants and shrubs affected are to be destroyed. Imported plants must have a certificate of inspection.

INSURANCE is permitted against loss by theft or burglary and loss of money in transit.

LABOR.-Machinery in workshops and factories is to be carefully guarded and shall be subject to inspection.

A non-partisan commission is to be appointed by the Governor to investigate and report concerning convict labor in Ohio and other states.

Eight hours constitute a day's work on all public works and for the state.

RAILROADS must maintain waiting rooms at all stations where passenger trains stop.

ROADS are to be improved and may be constructed of stone, gravel, or brick under competent engineers. Not less than one-half or more than two-thirds of the cost to be paid out of the county levy and the balance to be assessed against the property benefitted.

SCHOOLS.-Districts of a township may be centralized and a high school established on vote of the people and bonds therefor may be issued.

SOLDIERS. An office of Ohio soldiers' claims is created, the chief to be appointed by the Governor. He is to protect and relieve Ohio soldiers and prosecute their claims against the United States.

RHODE ISLAND.

Extra Session, September 19th, 1899, to September 20th, 1899.-Annual Session, January 30th, 1900, to May 4th, 1900.-Annual Session, June 30th, 1900, to July 14th,

1900.

BICYCLES.-The Governor is to appoint a State Sidepath Commission of five cyclists, being one from each county. They serve without compensation, except that they are to be paid their disbursements out of a sidepath fund, which is to be raised by a tax of from fifty cents to one dollar per annum assessed against each cyclist. Licenses are issued and the paths are for the use of those licensed only, all others being severely punished for encroaching upon the paths, which are to be constructed and maintained by the Commission.

BURIAL LOTS.Executors and administrators may pay to cemetery corporations a sum of money for the perpetual care of the lot in which their testate or intestate is buried.

CATTLE.-The Cattle Commissioner of each county is to inspect all cattle brought into the state. If found to be afflicted with tuberculosis they are to be slaughtered at the expense of and loss to the owner.

CRIMES. The exhibition of indecent pictures or views by vitascopes, stereopticons, or other like instruments, or of phonographs giving forth obscene or impure language, or the giving or advertising of impure or immoral shows, is made a

crime and the instruments and devices are to be forfeited and destroyed.

The taking away, injuring or destruction of growing grain, fruit, vegetables, trees or plants, from public or private grounds, or injury or defacement of any building, is made an offence. ELECTIONS.-Towns and cities are authorized to purchase and use voting machines.

EXEMPTIONS. The salary or wages of any debtor up to ten dollars has been exempt from attachment, except upon suit for necessaries. This exception has been stricken from the law. GAME. The killing of wild deer is prohibited to February 1st, 1905.

LABOR -Trade marks, designs, labels, etc., of labor unions are protected from unauthorized use, and counterfeiting or imitating them is made an offence. Trade marks are to be filed in the office of the Secretary of State. Courts must grant injunctions to prevent improper use of such trade marks, and counterfeits and imitations must be destroyed.

POLICE.-Officers in the town of Bristol shall hold their offices until vacated by death or resignation, subject to removal, after hearing, for misconduct or incapacity.

The Governor is to appoint a Board of Police and License Commissioners for the City of Newport, the citizens of that municipality having no voice in their selection. This departure from local home rule is considered a novel and dangerous departure by many New Englanders.

RAILROADS shall not abandon stations after they have been established and used for twelve months, without the permission of the Railroad Commission.

TOWNS. The town of Shoreham is authorized to purchase, or aid in purchasing, or construct, a steamboat, to carry passengers and freight to and from the town. The control and management of the boat to be by three commissioners elected by the voters of the town.

They may fix rates and charges and run the boat to Newport and Providence.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES for various commodities have been adopted.

SOUTH CAROLINA.

Annual Session.-January 9th, 1900, to February 17th, 1900.

AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION.-An amendment was agreed to exempting certain cities from any limitation on bonds issued for water works or sewerage.

An amendment will be voted upon at the next general election permitting assessment to pay for condemnation of lands and the construction of ditches to drain swamps.

AGRICULTURE. Any purchaser of fertilizers or manure may have the same analyzed by the Clemson Agricultural College. If they shall fall short ten per cent. of the fertilizing ingredients guaranteed, the vendor shall forfeit one-half of the sale price thereof.

CORPORATIONS.-A general act for incorporation of churches, schools, charitable and educational societies has passed.

COURTS.-Special or extra sessions of Courts of General Sessions shall be called on application of the solicitor of any circuit, or a majority of the bar of any county and the Governor shall appoint some man learned in the law and suggested by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, to hold the court. CRIMES. Statistics of crime are to be had by the Clerk of General Session Courts reporting annually the name, age, sex, and race of all persons brought to trial.

A State Reformatory for the confinement of male criminals. under sixteen years of age is established. Races are to be

kept separate.

FENCES of barbed wire, within fifty feet of any highway, are to have a plank or pole on the top.

GAME.-Deer are protected by further legislation, and partridges and quail shall not be sold or shipped for five years.

HEALTH.-County Boards of Commissioners are created Commissioners of Health and Drainage and are authorized to require owners of lands, adjacent to streams, to keep them clear; and when, in their judgment, this is impracticable, to

have the work done at the charge of the people who would be benefited thereby.

They are authorized to condemn rights of way for drainage and to assess expenses on adjacent land owners.

The State Board of Health shall declare what diseases are dangerous, infectious, or contagious and bodies dead of such diseases can only be transported under rules and regulations prescribed by the Board, which is also to examine and license embalmers.

Township assessors are to report all infectious and contagious diseases to the Board under heavy penalty.

INSURANCE.-Foreign companies cannot write insurance unless a local agent signs the policy and receives the commission, to the end that the state may receive the tax on the premium.

State insurance of public buildings is provided for.

After January 1st, 1901, all state and county buildings except school houses are to be insured by payment by each county, into the hands of the State Sinking Fund Commissioners, annually, of an amount equal to one-half of the premium it would pay to an insurance company. These payments are to continue until the fund reaches $200,000.00 and then payments are to cease and be renewed when the fund is reduced below that sum.

LIQUOR. The State Board of Control is abolished and a Board of Directors of the State Dispensary established, to be elected by the General Assembly. It has control of the purchase and sale of intoxicating liquors.

MEDICINE.-The State Board of Medical Examiners, heretofore consisting of seven physicians, has been increased to ten, the additional members to be homoeopathic physicians to examine and license homœopaths.

OFFICERS in many counties are to receive salaries instead of fees. which last are to be paid into the County Treasury.

PARTNERSHIP.-Upon dissolution of a co-partnership and notice thereof no partner can make payment or new promise so as to renew debt against other partners.