The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-26
MEETING OF JURISTS
ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE AMER
ICAN BAR ASSOCIATION.
Points from President WoOIworth'x
Address-Evils of the Day and
Their Remedy.


President J. NJ. Woolworth. of Omaha, de-
livered an address to the association. which
was listened to with marked attention. He
reviewed at length recent laws passed by
the national Congress and state legisla-
lures. In closing he spoke of the efforts of
agitators to engender class hatred-to pit
the poor against the rich-and called atten-
ton to the teachings of various writers on
social problems
"A this point two facts press upon the at
tention," he said. I'm the first place, while
the wage earners are men of like passions
as other men, no better and no worse, and
therefore to be expected TO put their per-
sonal interests before those of others, yet
they display a strange and enthusiastic
loyalty to their class, so that if one sec
ton falls into trouble those who are at
the moment less unfortunate contribute re-
lief from their poverty with generosity
They eXemplify the saying, If one member
suffer all suffer with it, The sympathetic
strike is the eXpr essiOu of this passion In
the next place, the wage earners submit to
a discipline rigid and severe as an army
in battle Each adbicates his free will, his
judgment, his personal wishes and interests.
He is no longer an individual, but an atom
of d mass, the smallest part OF a machine
directed by the hand of the engineer al his
pleasure. What this great body of the ciri-
zenship possessed of political power, trans
ported by the enthusiasm of self-sacrihce,
directed by a relentless discipline, will be-
when it becomes thoroughly saturated with
these doctrines, it is not hard to divine. In
that day, ii it ever comes, the declarations of
labor, their battalions enthusiastic, compact
disciplined, organized and moving with one
impulse at the word of command, when
launched upon institutions under which
they suppose themselves trodden down, Will
sweep from the tace OF the earth not cor
poratIOnS SyndicateS, trusts and aggre
gated capital only but all the whole order
OF Industrial society now organized.
w hat has been SAID is without profit il
we stop here. The remedy which L venture
to suggest as that which our profession is
competent to administer is the application
of the mechanism of the law ,he educa-
uon of all in the rights and duties of citi-
ZenS, to the end that they apprehend JUS
tlce One of the ways of educating citizens
in their rights and duties is by improving
and defining the jury system and making
the service interesting to jurors in the pop
ular as well as the superior courts. The
large number of jurors should be those
reached or liable to be reached by the new
heresies, and the office should be dignified
by the character of the men called TO serve
IN 1t by the circumstances of the employ
ment. The first qualification of the juror
SnouId be that ne earns decent living for
himself and family, vigorously excluding all
who, from whatever cause, do not do So
ruthless rule sometimes, just as are the
chances of life always The term of serv->
ice should be for several weeks, and twice
the average wages be paid for it, and the
pace or employment be kept Open Judges
ana justices of the peace should be men
of gravity sufficient learning, common es-
TEEN and strong personality, who will di-
rect the jury TO the very right of the mat
ter. When, after such a service the Juror
returns TO his usual employment he will
carry with him the best fruits of the best
= limo ,ooIxr
capacity TO discern and disposition to
render justice, and, also, a consequence
among his fellows, increased Vigor and
force multiplied, manlness and self-respect
elevated, so that he will be felt throughout
ms class as one wise and safe and true
10 guide the common sentiment and opinion
There is another of the processes of the
law which can be developed to the same
END. once year men are sent out, under
one title or another with more or less au-
thorlty to ascertain the value of every
man property, to the end that it may be
taxed accordingly. The inquiry he makes
or whether he makes any, is matter COM
mitted to his discretion and whether he
act upon the information at his hand or
according to his arbitrary pleasure is a
question for his conscience, if he have a.
conscience The whole thing is secret and
irresponsible process. The natural conse-
Guence is that the fees allowed by statute
are a small fraction of what he receives
Tor reduced assessments of the rich and
excessive valuations of the property of the
poor. Our concern here is not with these
mischiefs but with the uses which may be
made of this process for the education of
the people. Commit the business to boards
the majority of which shall be wage earn
ers, having the qualifications of jurors Let
the board sit at convenient hours in a con-
Venlent place with open doors, and COM
pei every property owner to attend, and in
the presence of his neighbours state what
is necessary to determine the value OF his
property, subject him to cross examination
publicly declared with the reasons for it
Inc interest of every man will be enlisted
not only in securing the low est valuation of
ms own property, but the highest of that
of others. The inquiry will be pressed with
rigor on every side but will come back in
most cases to what is fair and equal all
things considered. Men who own property
much or little, it does not matter which
taking part in such questions. contentious
d iI uote5 5 si VIII holq thelr own
grasp, and will yield to others the rights
they claim for themselves.
Another way may be opened through
which all classes may be drawn into par
ucipation in public affairs The democracy
OF the town meeting formerly had a large
states administrative officers and boards
have crowded these popular assemblies out
ard shorn them Of their useful powers
OHcialism has superseded popular modes
Even where the town meeting remains, it
has but a remnant Of it's former Vigor 1t
is an institution OF which great use may
be made in cOunteraCting the evil of So
cialistic tendencies that are gaining sway
among us. If it were multiplied. so that
q
territory nor include too many citizens and
every citizen could make himself heard and
felt in it, the interests of the neighborhood
be discussed and dealt with. and the initia-
two taken in great public movements
something would be done to bring back the
civic satisfactions and contentments of our
fathers. The political life would be again
the popular life. The humblest would have
his place made for him by himself The
intelligent wage Garner who now reVes I'm
the theories and fancies of Marx and
George Will be recalled to the rights which
are his beyond the reach of government
ana TO the duties the discharge of which
afford him his highest enjovments He
will feel the dignity of manliness and of
citizenship. the Vigor of self-reliance and
the ardor OF patriotic emotion. people of
such men will not yield to the lassitude of
a society which is without virility, adven-
ture industry and ambition.
Your acquaintance with the administra-
tiCn of the laws will suggest many other
uses to which its methods may be put I
have mentioned only a few Of the very
simplest and most obvious; but they seem
to he enough to show that we have in
our hands remedies for the mischiefs which
AT this time are most theatening Those
remedies are whatever will make Ameri-
cans, more than ever before. self-respeCt-
ing. CONSCIENTIOUS, competent and just
citizens"
At the close of his address President
WColworth introduced Judge Samuel F.
Hunt. Of Cincinnati the representative of
the State Bar Association. Judge Hunts
address was largely one of congratulation
that Ohio had been selected as the meeting
place Of the rational association. The
salient feature of his address was that our
legislative bodies are occupied rather with
the reflnementS Of civilization than with the
fundamental questions of government
There is need Of the good and strong and