Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-13

yS%$MV>> the substance of
NM what the decision of
y the court would be-
It is an extraordinary fact that there
seems to be always a leak when there is
an important decision to be rendered
There is hardly one case of Importance
before the court in recent years that has
not been forecast in some way. When the
question is merely whether the court Will
decide in the Affirmative or the negative
certain question some one might make
good guess and so appear to anticipate
the courts action without knowing posi-
lively what it was to be. But in many
cases, not alone the general nature Of
the courts decision has been matter
Of common rumor, but all Of the details
of the courts division. in case the decision
was not reached unanimously, have been
given to the public two or three days be-
fore the sformal announcement Of the mat
ter.
This does not appear at first sight a
very important matter. It seems to in
volve merely the dignity of the court. That
dignity is infringed, of courses when the
courts action is anticipated by the news
papers or by rumcr. But more important
matters are at stake. The decision of the
court in a particular case will affect the
stock market very seriously This has &C.
Cured very often. 1t Is sometimes i'm
portant that stock operators should know
decision 10 man who can obtain in
advance of his fellow-operators on the
stock exchange the facts about the de-
Tho stocL ,narLa+ 10 affac+ad IN tha same
nv nv news coming frorn the Treasnrv
Department in financial crises, by the ac-
ton of Congress on tariff or financial mat
CROW ranor9 81 tn Aer;onIt,rai nsno w
MANI nan -epo'' Va 'A'e al Aep"i
Information for Spectators.
Stock operators therefore keep special
representatives AZ wasbfnpton whose only
,,,s,.ose =. =. -. ~
BUSINESS 10 ~ aosse 'nean III du'ahee' IL
poss,uie' VI ueeist4is "a Inc secretary VI
gress. of Conereksu itself of the S,,nreme
Court or of anv other holy or nerson whose
act Is likely tn mako cb.nee in tho vol
ues Of securitiei The financia, bulletins
unfinished in New YORK. nitv Loan snoc;o1
corresnondents ,,ni,er s.,brv in wasb,n,-
ton tn advise them at Tho aarliss+ ,ror,ant
m matters of ;n,,ortanca IN ,ho enono,.,
world. Very often the reports sent by
these correspondents are of no more value
than the reports sent to the daily news
papers ana publlsned IN the regular wash
ington d.spatches.l Ihey are speculation as
70 tne possips.ilIes m d particular case.
put very oIteh tnese correspondents are
ape 10 state posiuVeiy that the decision
ol the supreme Souil III a certain case
Is Tor or against certain interest, as the
case may oe, ana oIteh tney are able 10
state with certainty what the Secretary OF
me .hn a,t'G IC " So. l. VIII De re-
eaii s .na. 9uS. pelo,e oecIe'dr! Carhsie
!iiaue one u ms ooiu issues statement
Una. ne nao uetermlneu 10 lsue ponds was
naus anu Tue exact amount OF the pro-
S Soosa e, un,as sau9' Inns s.atenen.
, intersieM oLly iory-elght nours before he
issueu ms Can ior INC ponus. Inc news
papers anu me puonc rehea 10 erea. ex-
III M. on me ueiiai OF me secretary OF the
Lleasuiy. iHe STOCK Operators Iened on
lne statement OF the financial bulletins,
anu 'hey were right.
A Divided Responsibility.
II cd' ne demonstrated with very little
research that every decision of the SUI
preme Court of recent years which has in
yoIved matters of importarce and which
roc ha,, o,.o;+oa let .a.ou -. ~.
w. e Wy
me puohc mas reached the pupllc at least
twenty-four hours before the decision
day" of the Supreme Court The most re-
| cent occurrences of ,b;e ant;cin. tor of tho
| ,,., a.,;.,,o -, - ,,;e.: 49,
eoui' oeeiSioiis are 'he puoiiea'ioi VI the
recent patent aecis1on aHectlng the lnteg-
| rlty CT the Bel telephone monopoly, which
| came out on the Saturday prior to the de-
clsion day; the opinion In the California
waterfront cases, which was known in
Can1ornia before 1t was announced In
washington; and the opinion In the trust
| case, which was public property long
original Beli telenhon e decision ahon1
which there was SO much excitement few
years ago, was common taik long before
rai11, CHIC Nouie hie' anu i''aoe II puoiie
There are a good nany ways in which the
| Supreme Court decisions could leak In the
first place any one of the Justices could let
IAN, py cnance OF py design, an lntlmatiorl
I1n,taI Saatas Sa,at ne have hean Inor,,
| to make public the secrets of the executive
session Of the Senate, and Supreme Court
justices are presumably no less fallible
Then the private secretaries of the justices
are very ant to Know what the decisions
of the court are for though thew are moi
present at the consultat lion of The court
when decision 10 reached thew often as.
sist in nrenaring the manuscrint of the de.
cision to he read in the court room Then
the ccIrt nrin.er bas certain share ot
rasnonsihi,itv for the nreservation IF the
| co,,rt's secrets. for the decisions before
thew are read are senr TO the printer and