The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-20


association in convention hall this
morning brought out an audience of
nearly 10000 persons.
When the president, Mr.. Moorfield
Story of Boston, Mass, called the
meeting to order at 1910 o'clock there
were present on the platform Lord Rus
sci, ]. Randolph Tucker, Edward j.
Phelps, Montague Quackanthorn, WEI
lam Allen Butter, Henry Hitchcock,
Austin G. Fox, Charles Clafiin, Allen
Francis Rawle, James c. Carter, Sir
Frank Lockwood.
President Storr delivered
HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS.
The subject, "The Most Noteworthy
Changes in Statute Law on Points of
General Interest Made i'm the Several
States and by Congress During the
Preceding Year"
The spea ker pointed out that the leg
islation IL the different states, though
widely separated. strongly showed the
essential unity of this country in deal
ing with the same problems that con-
front all the states Another noticeable
point is the rapid growth of dispo-
sifion to assert the general interests OF
the community at the expense Of indi-
vidual freedom. The statutes of every
state, he said, contain laws that would
have seemed unwarTantable invasionS
Of private rights rot many years ago
The most important part of the adj
dress is devoted to railway reOrganiza-
ton. and is based upon a statute of
Kentucky, which for the first time at
tempts to deal with this subject The
speaker considered this statute a step
in the right direction as it enables the
courts to protect the interests OF the
investors by making every reorganiza-
ton of a railway the subject of
JUDICIAL INVESTIGATION,
and securing for every interest a hear
ing It often happened, he said. that
capital stock was issued without pay
ment. being offered as a bonus to go
with the bonds. In this way the money
of creditors has been invested and the
control of the property retained by the
debfor-the railway company.
The managers of railway companies
are generally prepared for an emer-
gency when it is found necessary to
reorganize their property, but the cred
itorS are scattered. frightened and
wholly unprepared to act The mana
gers OF the insolvent company ask the
court fer a receiver, and generally get
one favorable tc their own interests
Sometimes the receiver resiSts fore
closure proceedings, which action re-
suits in a practical denial of justice.
Many a man sees the saving of
lifetime swept away by the misman-
aSement of corporation. and sees the
managers in charge in spite of all op-
position that creditors can make. 1t
is to the courts that we must look for
protection, the president continued
Their authority rests on the
RESPECT OF THE PEOPLE
for their absolute impartiality. and in
the long run they cannot preserve that
respect unless ,hey observe the well
settled rules of judicial procedure, and
unless they respect and enforce every
legal claim. Parties must be left 10
determine for themselves whether their
Interests viii or will not be served by
the assertion : their rights. If the
collT-tS had alw-yS refused to entertain
these applications for receivers when
made by the debtor corporation, or
even if they had selected impartial re-
ceivers and facilitated the Enforcement
OF every agreement, railroads would
have been reorganized more promptly,
ard on a more enduring basis than is
now possible. In concluding his ad-
dress, President Storr said:
j JUDICIAL action which impairs the
obligation of contracts is more dan
gerous than any statute which aims
at the same result When the court.
manage railroad for years. and
that chiefly without hearing
THE QUESTIONS WHICH ARISE
in its operation; when it appoints these
officers and in SO doing grants the
final relief sought without notice. it
violates the fundamental rule OF our
constitution"
REGULAR BUSINESS.
The address of President Storr, which
required an hour and half in de-
hvering. was frequently applauded.
The regular business was then taken
up. Upon the report of the executive
committee lightweight new members
from various states were elected
A recess OF ten minutes was then
taken, during which time Lord Russell.
Sir Frank Lockwood and Mr.. Montague
Quackanthorn held an informal recep-
ton on the platform, where they greet
ed many nlsm0ers of the association.
The convention then proceeded to the
election OF the members of the general
council, among those selected being the
following:
California, ]. 4. ellison: Colorado. c.
T. Harrington; Illinois, E. B. Sher-
man; Iowa a j. McCreary; Kansas,
J. D. Mulligan; Missouri, James Hager-
man; Montana, w. T. Sanders; Ne
braska, J. L. Woolworth: North pa
kota, Burke Corhett; Oregon. c. II
Corey; South Dakota, J. w. Wright.
Washington, c. A Shepard; Wyoming.
c. Carter; Arizona. z. E. Fleetwood:
Utah, S. 3. Shepard
The report of Secretary Hinkley of
Baltimore for the year showed that
there were 1907 members at the close
of the last meeting. Th1rty-five men,
bers have been elected by the execu-
tive committee. All of the states ex
cepi Nevada, and all of the territories
except New Mexico are represented in
the membership. The attention of the
vice-presidentS and members of the
local councils was again called to the
resolution charging them with the duty
OF endeavorjng TO secure by legislation
the appointment of commissioners of
uniform state law
The report of the treasurer for the
year showed the total receipts to have
been S6,119.62, disbursements. S5.756.67,
leaving q balance Of S4,13S.5S The
report was received and submitted to
tcle auditing committee.
An adjournment was then taken to
O'Clock
At $50 o'clock this afternoon the as
ISOLATION met as a section of legal ed
ucaeica in convention hall
Chairman McLain delivered an ad-
dress TO The Law CURRICULUM Briefly
reviewing the origin and growth of the
section of legal education and discuss
ing the best methods to be pursued by
the law student in his legal educa-
ton, Chairman McLain continued:
1T must be admitted that the quick
ness of perception and the maturity Of
Judgment, without which legal attain
ments are impossible. may be strength
ened on the one hand by the studies