PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL ADdress. tion of the capital stock of said corporation which is represented by property located and business transacted in this State. The law requires that said corporation shall pay into the office of the Secretary of State, taxable fees on such proportion equal to those required of similar corporations, formed under the laws of this State, and not until then is the Secretary of State authorized to certify that the corporation has complied with the laws of this State. The general corporation law is amended so as to authorize corporations organized for mining or manufacturing purposes, such as iron mills, to own and hold shares of the capital stock or the securities of any railroad company when such railroad shall connect different plants of such mining or manufacturing companies with each other, or with other railroads or harbors. A recent decision of Judge Tuley's was overcome by an amendment to the railroad and warehouse act, which permits owners and lessees of warehouses to store and mix therein grain of their own with grain of others of a like grade stored therein, and to purchase their own warehouse receipts. In the matter of education, the Legislature has enacted a more simple compulsory education law; has authorized the a more simple compulsory education law; has authorized the establishment of manual training departments in high schools; has provided for the education of children with respect to the nature of alcoholic drinks and other narcotics, and their effects upon the human system; has authorized the Superintendent of Public Instruction, upon application of local boards of education, to grant permission to maintain, as a part of the public schools, one or more classes, of not less. than three pupils each, for the instruction of deaf persons. The peace and good order of the State is provided for by a military code, the new features of which are stringent prohibitions against any one insulting members of the force, or assaulting them when upon duty; and permitting the com JOHN H. HAMLINE. manding officer in case of assault while on duty to take all needful steps to quell the attack and disperse the assailants, without waiting for the instructions of civil authorities. Another important section is that which provides that in case of tumult or riot, or other attempt by any body of men acting together by force to commit a felony or other violence, to persons or property, or to break or resist the laws of the State, upon the fact being made to appear to the Governor, it is made his duty to order such force as he may deem necessary to aid the civil authorities in suppressing such violence. When so ordered out, the military force shall report to such civil officer as the Governor shall designate, and shall act in strict subordination to such civil authority, but the manner of performing the act directed by the civil authority is left to the discretion of the military officer. The discipline of the force is greatly strengthened by authorizing a court martial to impose upon persons convicted of offenses against military discipline a reprimand, forfeiture of whole or part of pay and a fine not exceeding $5, or in default of payment, after approval of sentence, imprisonment not exceeding three days. It is apprehended that these new additions to the law will make the militia a much more effective arm of the government than it has been heretofore. Laws were also enacted by the Legislature to protect employees who are obliged to work in factories or workshops, where emory wheels or belts are used, by requiring hoods and suction pipes, to be set up, whereby the dust may be collected and carried outside the building; also compelling all buildings four stories or more in height, exclusive of private residences, to be provided with metallic fire escapes attached to the outer walls thereof, connected with suitable platforms. An act providing for the safety and competency of coal miners seems to embody the spirit of the horseshoers and plumbers act, in that it requires every person desiring to work by himself in rooms of coal mines in this State, to first PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL ADDRESS. produce satisfactory evidence to the manager of the mine that he has worked at least two years with or as a practical miner. Another act provides for fining an operator of a coal mine from $25 to $200 for failing to pay his miner the price agreed upon. This indeed makes it hard to be a debtor, but is undoubtedly unconstitutional. An act in regard to the employment of children has also been adopted, which among other things prohibits any person under the age of sixteen from being employed more than sixty hours in any one week, or more than ten hours in any one day, and prohibiting any such child from being employed in any extra hazardous employment, where the life or limbs or health or morals of such person may be injured or deprived. A very complete and stringent law intended to encourage the production and cultivation and secure the protection of fish in all waters under the jurisdiction of the State was also enacted. This law has been long needed. The eminent domain act has been changed so as to provide that the petitioner shall enter upon property and pay full compensation within a reasonable time after judgment; and in the event of the petitioner dismissing said petition before the entry of said order, or failing to make payment of full compensation within the time named in such order, the court may, upon the application of the defendant, order payment by the petitioner of all costs, expenses and reasonable attorney's fees paid or incurred by said person in defending against such petition. The former laws requiring flags to be hoisted were repealed; and a law was adopted requiring a flag to be hoisted on penal, reformatory, State, educational and charitable institutions and at the top of the court house on each and every legal holiday; also upon all school houses during the school hours of said day, as the board of directors or board of educa tion may determine. A law that will be of great benefit to the community, if honestly administered, and will be the occasion of great evil JOHN H. HAMLINE. if its execution is placed in incompetent or dishonest hands, is the new law providing for jury commissioners. The bill was planned by a committee of this Association, consisting of Robert E. Jenkins, L. E. Emmons, Charles R. Starr, Robert McMurdy and Roy O. West, and its essential features are the following: The judges in every county which may contain more than 100,000 inhabitants shall choose three commissioners on the first Monday of July, 1897, to hold office for one, two and three years respectively, by lot. Every officer thereafter chosen shall be chosen for the term of three years. Said commissioners shall, upon entering upon their office and every four years thereafter, prepare a list of all electors qualified for jury duty, who shall be between the ages of twenty-one and sixty years; the names of such persons to be entered in a book kept for that purpose wherein shall appear his age, occupation, residence, whether or not he is a householder residing with his family, whether or not he is a freeholder. Said commissioners, when directed by said judges will appoint a clerk and the requisite number of assistants, and similarly may appoint a competent elector, who shall be known as a deputy jury commissioner, in each voting precinct or district, who shall furnish from time to time as required, a list of the qualified electors residing in such voting precinct or district, and such other information as may be required. The jury commissioners shall have power to summon electors and examine them touching their qualifications for jury service and to administer oaths. Any Circuit Court of this State, in any county where this law is in force, or any judge thereof, either in term time or vacation, upon application of any such jury commissioners, may, in the discretion of the court, compel the attendance of such electors and the giving of testimony before said jury commissioners, by attachment for contempt or otherwise. False swearing before such commissioners shall be punishable as perjury. The commissioners shall from time to time select from such jury list, a requisite number of names, PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL ADDRESS. which shall each be written on a separate ticket, the whole to be put in a box kept for that purpose, and to be known as the jury box. In like manner they shall select the necessary number of names from said jury list and put them in a box to be known as the grand jury box. These jurors so selected shall, as near as may be, be residents of different parts of the county, and of different occupations, and one or more of the judges of said court shall certify to the clerk of the court the number of jurors required at each term. Said clerk shall then, at the office of said commissioners and in the presence of at least two of them, and in the presence of the clerk of said commissioners, proceed to draw out at random from such jury box after the same shall have been well shaken, the necessary number of names, and shall certify the same to the sheriff to be by him summoned according to law. If more jurors are needed during the term, the court shall so certify, and they may be drawn and summoned as above provided. Provided that such commissioners shall always keep in the jury box not less than 15,000 names, and in said grand jury box not less than 1,000 names. Whenever a grand jury shall be required, by law or by the order of court, its members shall be drawn from the grand jury box and summoned in like manner. At the end of each term of court the commissioners shall ascertain the names of all persons who have served and of all who have been excused as jurors during such term, and shall check those off from the jury list, and they shall not again be placed in said box until all others on said list shall have served or have been found to be disqualified or exempt. Thereupon the names of all who have been excused and who possess the qualifications for jury service shall again be placed in the jury box. It is apparent that if our judges shall select three men of high character, who are not identified with politics, or with any of the interests which seek to debauch juries, this system will be of great improvement on the old one. But if they per |