The Albany Law Journal.

ALBANY, JULY 4, 1896.

Current Topics.

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'HE declaration in the Republican platform in favor of a National Board of Arbitration to settle disputes between railways and their em ployes, is evidence of the growing popular demand for some means to avert railway strikes. Perhaps the reader believes that this is starting up an old subject which has no solution beyond the law of supply and demand. However, it is vitally essential to the public interest that the railway service should never be suspended or seriously interrupted. This evil has often resulted from strikes, and may result at any time until a remedy is found and applied. Obviously the only remedy is compulsory arbitration. This can be made fair and just to both sides, and will protect the public against the serious consequences of a suspended or crippled railway service. In these days such a condition is of a far more serious nature than it was years ago, and individuals are everywhere realizing that far more serious consequences than they have felt in the past can easily arise from an organized and wide-spread strike among the railroad employes of any section, The demand of the Republicans is for a National Board of Arbitration. This would apply only to inter-State railroads. The same principle, however, can be made to apply to railroads wholly within a State, and particularly to pasVOL. 54 No. 1.

senger lines in cities. The enactment of a general law by congress to regulate strikes and to have compulsory arbitration in disputes on inter-State railways, could and should be followed by the passage of uniform and similar laws by each Legislature of every State, which would govern railroads wholly within a State. This is one of the many things which Congress and the Legislatures should do, and it might well occupy their time when they are doing things which they ought not to do.

Leonide Leblanc's will is to stand after all, and from newspapers abroad we learn that her creditors are raging about Paris while the outcasts of Paris are rejoicing. It may be that Leonide is unfamiliar, but it was only a short time ago when she was the talk of the civilized world. At an early age she was compelled to leave her home because her parents tried to force her to lead a life of shame. She subsequently grew up and became the most beautiful woman in Paris. She died, leaving her vast fortune to the homeless children of Paris. After her death there was a great legal battle over her will. She left a large number of creditors as well as a large fortune, and the creditors demanded that this fortune be portioned among them. The judges, however, have decided otherwise. The decision is based, it would seem, upon the theory that the average creditor of a woman like Leonide is a regular Shylock who drives hard bargains and gets handsome bargains as he goes along. To pay these demands would be to add so much to the desires of his rapacity. In addition to this, the judges seemed to be somewhat influenced by the fact that there were so many homeless children in Paris, and that the bequest would