Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 09.pdf/551

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The Green Bag.


510 NEW LAW-BOOKS.

STATK CONTROL OF TRADE AND COMMERCE by National or State Authority. By ALBERT STICKNEY of the New York Bar. Baker, Voorhis & Co., New York, 1897. $2.25 net. This treatise cannot fail to deeply interest all stu dents of political science whether lawyers or laymen. The subject is one of much importance at the present time, and .Mr. Stickney has collected a great amount of very valuable material bearing upon it. He treats it from a historical as well as legal standpoint. Be ginning with a history of English legislation on prices, consisting of divers attempts to regulate prices by statute and by statutory tribunals, he shows that these attempts to regulate prices covered both labor and merchandise, and that the right to regulate both was placed on the same legal footing. These attempts to control prices by statute went beyond a mere fixing of prices, gave to buyers the definite legal right to buy at the prices so fixed, and pro vided a legal procedure for enforcing the buyers' legal rights. Therefrom naturally and logically came the statutes which made the selling at prices above the lawful rates a crime. The offense was the same, whether by an individual or a combination of individuals. Out of this position came the statute making it a criminal conspiracy to combine for the raising of prices, whether of labor or merchandise. This entire body of legislation, as the author shows, rested on the assumption, which was universally con ceded in ancient times, that the state had the legal right to fix the prices of labor and merchandise of all classes. The author then traces the growth of the distinction between public and private employments, which is in the main a development of the American law. He then shows that both in England and America the development and tendencies of the law, until very recent decisions in two of the highest courts in this country, have been steadily towards complete contractual freedom in private employ ments, and, on the other hand, towards a high de gree of State control in public employments.

A TREATISE ON THE LAW AND PRACTICE OF FORE CLOSING MORTGAGES ON REAL PROPERTY, and of Remedies Collateral thereto, with Forms. By CHARLES HASTINGS WILTSIE. With a SUPPLE MENT bringing the work down to March, 1897, additional chapters on MORTGAGE REDEMP TIONS, by JAMES M. KERR of the New York Bar. Williamson Law Book Co., Rochester, N. Y., 1897. Law sheep. $6.50 net. Mr. Wiltsie's original work on Mortgage Foreclos ure, although designed as a New York book, has an

interest and importance to practitioners generally. Mr. Kerr's " Supplement is practically a new treatise on the same general plan and arrangement adopted in the enlarged edition of Wiltsie. The chapters on " Mortgage Redemption are, however, entirely new and contain a very exhaustive and thorough treatment of the subject. Those who have the origi nal work by Mr. Wiltsie will find this supplement an indispensable companion volume.

PROBATE REPORTS ANNOTATED. Vol. I. Contain ing cases of general value decided in the courts of the several States on points of probate law. With notes and references. By FRANK S. RICE. Baker, Voorhis & Co., New York, 1897. Law sheep. $5.50 net. This is the first volume of a new series of reports covering the subject of probate law, and is in reality a successor to the " American Probate Reports," so well known to the profession. The plan of this new series is to give in an annual volume the most im portant and most recent decisions of the courts of the different States upon all matters cognizable in probate and surrogate courts. The publishers have secured an editor in every way capable of making these reports of great value to the practicing lawyer, and for his work, as shown in this first volume, we most heartily commend the series to the careful con sideration of our readers.

COMMON- LAW PLEADING : its History and Prin ciples. Including Dicey's rules concerning parties to actions, and Stephen's rules of pleading. By R. Ross PERRY. Little, Brown & Co., Boston, 1897. Law sheep. ^3.50 net. Mr. Perry's experience as a lecturer on common,aw pleading in the Georgetown (D. C.) University Law School has eminently fitted him to produce a work upon the subject. His treatise seems to us ex cellent in every respect, and the science of pleading is made exceedingly clear and intelligible. It is a treatise which will be read with interest and advan tage by the practicing lawyer as well as by the law student.

THE I.AW OF TAXABLE TRANSFERS, STATE OF NEW YORK. With annotations and forms. Edited by H. NOYF.S GREENE of the Troy (N.Y.,) Bar. Matthew Bender, Albany, N.Y., 1897.^1.50«*'/'. Mr. Greene has made a compact and excellent digest of the New York law relating to taxable trans fers, and it will undoubtedly be appreciated by the lawyers of that State. It will be of great aid and value to all desiring a complete epitome of the law to date.