The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-07-03
SUPREME COURT SCENES.
JUDGE HARLAN'S IMPROMPTU
OVATION ON THE STREET.
Senator Morgan and Manga Charta
"A Circus Loose in the Streets
Admiral Meade's Escape
Personal.

Washington, May 24.-Nobody can
complain that this has been a dull
week in Washing ton, and the sensa-
tion sprang from the most unexpected
source-the Supreme Court room.
Often the decisions Of, the court have
been awaited with excitement as we'll
as interest. but not since the days Of
the Electoral Commission Of 1917 has
anything like Mondays scene been
witnessed in that room. 1t was the
thirty-sccond anniversary of Jus tice
Fields appointment to the bench, but
he hasn't often had more exciting
time in all those thirty-two years. 1t
was noticed that Justice Jackson
looked pale and i'll and coughed pain
fully during the reading Of his own
brief dissenting opinion. Justice
Field says that neither Justice Jack
son nor himself has any idea of retire
ing from the bench, but all who saw
them on Monday believed that they
will soon be retired by an agency
which asks no mans permission for
anything. Justice Harlan's manner
of reading his dissenting opinion was
of nature seldom seen on the bench,
and gives color to the report that he
and Justice Shiras has some warm
words in the conference room over
Justice ShiraS'S change of base within
II three weeks-an almost, II not quite,
nprecedented thing for member of
the Supreme Court. But one thing
is worthy Of note, as showing that
the headlines in the newspapers don't
tell all the news. On Tuesday JUS
tice Harlan started to walk to the
Capitol by way Of Pennsylvania
avenue. He was so beset with hand
shakings and congratulate that at
Ninth street he was compelled to call
a cab and get into it in order to
| escape being made show of on the
| street. Now, there is inot a town in
this country where there is less of
Populsm and sectionalism than
Washington-and this outburst of
| popular approval was reserved for JUS
tice Harlan. Another striking fact
about the income tax which doesn't
| appear in the headlines is that there
| was most unlooked-for Willingness
to comply with the law on the part Of
individuals. The application for
blanks was about twice what was
anticipated, and the Treasury Depart
ment, at first, was not able to supply
them fast enough. But the corpora
tions weren't so willing as the indi-
viduals, 1t is said that Mr.. Joseph
H. Choate received fee one hundred
thousand dollars for his services. with
another hundred thousand condition
al upon obtaining reversal of the
law-but this last part has a slightly
fishy cdor-lawyers like Mr.. Choate
are not fond of contingent fees. and
he was probably satisfied with his
hundred thousand dollars.
The fact that the same Chicago
newspaper which publis he'd the for
mer decision in advance Of the courts
announcement also published per-
fectly accurate forecast,of this decis-
ion is troubling the justices deeply.
leakage where everything is supposed
to be guarded, not only by material
precautions, but by conscience itself.
The justices all declared that another
such leak as the first one would be
impossible, but the impossible occur
red, and the justices are at their wits
end to know how it happened.
President Cleveland came in from
Woodley on Monday, although it was
a very unpleasant day. and heard the
decision at the White House. One
thing however, may be discerned, ir
spite of all the assertions, that a.
soon as change in the personnel o.
bench occurs, a test case will be made
up and tried. and flat denials OF tht
assertions-and that is, that the las1
has not been heard of the income tax
Senator Morgan, who is one OF The
best lawyers in this or any Other
country, says Congress must settle tht
question Of when its taxing power be
gins and ends-and that the old prin
ciple which came down from thu
Magma Charta, that the supreme
right OF taxation belonged to the rep
resentatives Of the people without le
Or hinderance. must be either affirm
ed Or denied.