The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-07
TWO HUNDRED LAWYERS
ANNUAL MEETING OF STATE BAR AS
ISOLATION WELL ATTENDED.
Session Opens with an Address by
President John X. characterization
of Oficers To-Day.


cred in the Supreme Courtroom. at the
Statehouse. at 2 o'clock yesterday after
noon, to hold the third annual meeting of
the organization. Papers were read by
President John r. Wilson and by William
A. Ketcham. The meeting then adjourned
until o'clock this morning. Officers are to
be elected and other business transacted.
Papers will be read to-day by William Writ
Howe, of New Orleans. on Legal Ethics;
John T. Dye, on Limitations on the Free
dom of Contract Timothy E. Howard. of
South Bend. on According to Law" and
Daniel w. Comstock, of Richmond. on ''Evi-
dence in Criminal Cases on Appeal" The
annual banquet will be served tonight at
the Bates House. and elaborate prepara-
tons have been made for it by the man.
agement of the hotel
Mr.. Ketchams subject was Bench and
Bar" and in his address he declared that
political assessment on judges is evil
which it will require the earnest efforts OF
both bench and bar to eradicate.
1.-The time was within the memory of most
of u.s." he said. when judges were selected
with reference to their standing and attain
ments and without open solicitation or eff
fort, at any rate. on their part, but that
grea. many other desirable and commend
able customs, and nowadays the man de-
sirous of adjoining the judicial ermine must
scheme or work for 1t as though he were
candidate for constable or attorney general.
I name the latter, for have had more ex-
perience with 1t than with that Of con-
stable AS the disconsolate widow, mourn
ing the loss of her third venture in matri-
cofI IT, fn he
a sympathizing friend, that she supposed
the law of the State gave her her third; not
a bit OF it; had to hustle for my third just
as much as did for either of the others
so judges in these degenerate days must
hustle for their nomination and election as
though they were running for more lucra-
tive and less honorable place, as Governor
or sheriff; but this is not the least of the
evils connected with the desire to hold high
judicial Office.
when Croker turned down an eminent
Judge because he had declined to make an
appointment demanded by Tammany the
community was shocked. and yet, in a small
way, In our own beloved State, we have an
evil similar in kind. If not in degree. For
their services, which are such as to pre-
clude any other possible earning capacity,
the judges of the Supreme Court receive
81 800 per annum; of the Appellate Court,
$3.50, and of the Circuit Court $500. ex-
cept in a few of the counties. This remun-
Grafton for a high order of intellect. attain
ment and character would not seem to be
exorbitant or tempting. and it would seem
quite difficult for even an economical judge
out of il TO lay by enough TO provide Tor the
rainy day or the old age that comes to all
who are fortunate enough to attain it.
a
ing convention, not long enough to permit
the feelings of gratitude which come to ev-
6v b Gnf IHr .ne be reeves QUIET nt
nation that his assessment is so and so.
If not promptly, attended TO; the intimatlon
comes again less quhet put on more yn 4e1-
stands. if he did not understand 1t before,
that If he desires to obtain his goal he must
pay for the right OF being on the ticket.
The evil is limited to no party and no par
ticular judgeship, but is all-pervasive, IN
sistent and not to be denied. 1t Is an evil,
as l think, that ought to be eradicated:
upon political committees of the various po-
lirical parties; others have influence and
standing with them, and, as II seems TO me,
were against the practice. it would not be
difficult matter TO eradicate It.
Il do not discuss the evil. Time Will not
permit, nor do / think it necessary. AS IL
seems to me, the simple statement ought to
suffice, and trust the influence of this as
judges, when elected, shall be judges of the
whole people and not be subject to the sug-
gestion, or suspicion of being judges of any
particular party, or subject, either before
or after the election, to the orders OF any
political committee or power.
I'VE are members of a noble profession;
great future. Its members have adorned
and honored the highest offices in the State
and the Nation. AT all times and under all
exigencies the bar can be relied upon to
a prominent
and embellishes civilized life. Its members
have been prominent on the battlefield. in
the halls of Congress, in administrative
duties; in it's own peculiar sphere and duty
it is inseparably connected and associated
with its complement-the bench. Without
the the other could not exist. Side by
side, working tremendously, they have
been, are and will be instruments of great
good and their efforts rebound to the bene-
corruptible, capable bench. an honest. intel
ligent courageous bar, the rights of the
people in life. liberty and property will ever
PRESIDENT WILSON'S ADDRESS.
President John r. Wilson'S subject was
1.-THE historical antecedents of the peculiar
American doctrine which accords to the
judiciary the power in cases to question and
pass upon the validity of legislative and
executive acts"
cit is that under the Constitution of the
United States, he said, in defining the
American doctrine of constitutional juris-
prudence, "either by its express terms or
by necessary implication, whenever any
court Is called upon to apply the law TO the
facts, and finds in SO doing an act of Con-
gress or of State legislature inconsistent
with the Constitution, then it must give eff
feet to the Constitution, because it is the
supreme law Of the land enacted by the
people
Mr.. Wilson said there was a prevailing
disposition among the members of the pro-
fession TO treat the Constitution of the
United States as a mere text to be ex-
pounded; disposition TO look merely at the
anatomy of this organic law, ignoring the
larger facts which are involved in it's
biology. He then proceeded into a dis
course on constitutional law and the judi
ciary going hack n the formation of tina