Reviews of Books

mainly a mingling of historical outlines of the growth of political institutions with a general summing up of political theories which may be considered fairly well tohave stood the test of time. The author makes no claim to originality, and can certainly not be accused of it. There is nothing of the acute analysis which has come to be asso ciated with the latest noteworthy investiga tions in this field. The author, however, cannot be accused of handling his task in an unscholarly or unscientific manner. He indicates where recent important researches may be drawn upon, and if somewhat lacking in imagination and subtlety he does not fall into the sin of reproducing discredited, out worn theories. We have not noted any seri ous faults of perspective, and the only grave defect of the book is perhaps its failure to realize the fact that political definitions cannot be too exact nor terminology too precise for the purposes of clear, logical exposition of the structure and functions of the state. Com pressing the treatment of so vast a subject within so small a compass, the author cannot

be condemned for those defects which are faults of omission only, and the success with which he has carefully avoided dealing with controversial matters is strongly in his favor.

roads to liability for injuries received by employees due to defective appliances. The classification is so minute and com plete as to include a profusion of sub-topics, and the material is rendered easily accessible by clear arrangement and elaborate cross indexing. Rules of law are briefly stated in prominent type, followed in each case by the citation and by a quotation from the opinion of the court. Opinions contra are cited at the end of the topic in small type. All reported decisions rendered before January 1, 1910, have been digested, and there is an appendix in which cases unre ported February 24, 1910, are fully stated. JEWETT'S ELECTION MANUAL Jewett's Manual for Election Officers and Voters in the State of New York; containing the new consolidated election law, as amended to date, with annotations, forms and instructions. By F. G. Jewett. 18th edition, revised and enlarged by Melvin Bender and Harold J. Hinman, of the Albany bar. Matthew Bender& Co., Albany. Pp. xxii+ 288 (election law)+27l (constitutional and statutory provisions, forms, etc.)+ 83 (index). (Cloth, 84; paper, $3.50.)

THIS new edition of a standard manual of the New York election law, the 18th, does not differ to any very marked extent from the

FEDERAL SAFETY APPLIANCE ACTS An Index-Digest of Decisions under the Federal Safety Appliance Acts, together with relevant excerpts from other cases in which the acts have been construed. Prepared by Otis Beall Kent, by direction of the Interstate Commerce Commis sion. Government Printing Office, Washington. Pp. xvi, 294. (70 cts. cloth, 40 cts. paper.)

HE federal statutes digested in this practically designed manual are of importance greatly exceeding their bulk, all the statutory provisions being comprised in one short chapter, 27 Stat. L. 531, as amended by 29 Stat. L. 85 and 32 Stat. L. 943. This digest recognizes the importance of the subject by acknowledging the extent to which the character of interstate commerce and the limits of federal power have been considered in the decisions construing the act, and by giving due representation to rulings on the broader aspects as well as on the more purely technical phases of the law. The book is primarily useful to railroads, but will also be of service to the general profession on account of the frequency of the cases arising under section 8, subjecting rail

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17th, which included the

consolidated election law of 1909. The law, however, was amended by the Legislature of 1910 in important respects, and these amend ments appear in the edition, bringing the work fully up-to-date. Among the Amend ments of 1910 are those relating to corrupt practices at primaries, etc., to registration of voters, publication of constitutional amend ments, designation of places for registry and voting, miscellaneous provisions as to in spectors, watchers, challengers, etc.

NOTES Matthew Bender & Co. of Albany, are issuing a new eighth edition, 1910, of that standard author ity, Collier on Bankruptcy, which contains the important and radical amendments to the bank ruptcy law passed at the last session of Congress, as well as the decisions to date. A Decennial Digest Calendar for 1910-1911. in the form of a practical and useful desk pad, has been issued by the West Publishing Company. with a leaf for each week of the year. After the date of each day is the number of that day in the year, which makes it convenient for dating ahead memo randa. A short paragraph on current legal questions from the Decennial itself is inserted beside each day, which should make the calendar interesting and useful to the bar.