Lewiston evening teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1900, 1900-08-29

suits accomplished by the American Bar
Association in the twenty three wears of
its history, President Henderson paid
tribute to the memory of Edward l.
Phelps, William c. Endicott, Sherman S.
Rogers, Lord Russell of Killowen and
other eminent members of the bench and
bar who have passed away since the last
convention. The president then spoke
at considerable length Ill favor of the
proposed international bureau for the
unitication of the law, and quoted from
the correspondence of Secretary Hay in
relation TO the subject.
Concerning the enactments of congress
at its last session President Manderson
said;
at is doubtful if any congress has had
to deal with problems more difficult and
legislation more important in its results
than the first session of the 56th, which
began on December a, 1899, and adjourn
ed on June 7, 1900. The law making
mania is i'll evidence from the fact that in
the senate there were introduced A.o6r
bills, and in the house I2,22o. OF these
there were enacted 1877 public and 72o
private laws. Many of the bills bearing
upon subjects of grave import are in the
hands of the committees, or upon the
overburdened calendars of the two
houses, and will receive consideration at
the next session. The legislation ac.
complished has reached into the very
heart of the difficult questions presented,
and many of the unusual responsibilities
that devolved upon the federal legisla-
ture have been met with fearlessness and
with a wisdom that time will prove.
Hawaii had come to us by voluntary ac-
tion and the laws ESSENTIAL to her annexa-
tioh and government were pressing.
Alaska, with greatly increased popula-
ton, excited and feverish in their pur-
suit OF the precious metals on the coast
line and on the Yukon, was, as she has
been for many years, practically without
law. The transition from disorder under
l.Spain to order under the United States
had to be accomplished in Porto Rico,
and her relative status determined. The
condition of'affairs in the distant Philip.
pines were disturbing and the army and
navy needed the legislation that would
permit efficiency. Our guardianship
over Cuba brought up much to disturb
: A fixed standard of value was needed TO
bring about stability i'll business. Active
industry in all the trades was demanding
larger volume of the circulating me-
dunn. Valuable treaties with other DOW
ers were pending for the consideration of
the senate.
IAN important extradition act, grow
ing out of our peculiar relations with
Cuba and the commission of grave Of
fenses there by those entrusted by the
United States with important duties, is
that passed on June 6, which provides
that whenever any foreign country or ter
ritory is occupied by or is under the con-
troll of the United States, any person
who shall violate the criminal laws there
in, and has fled from justice TO this coun-
try, shall be liable to arrest and deten-
ton by the authorities of the United
States and OH request of the military gov
ernor, or other chief executive officer in
control OF such foreign country, shall be
surrendered for trial under the laws in
force where the offense was committed.
The proceeding prior to extradition must
be had before United States judge and
probable cause of guilt must be estab-
lished No person charged with political
onenses shall be returned.
President Manderson then proceeded
TO review at length the federal legislation
of Hawaii and Porto Rico, and followed
with review Of the work in the several
legislatures. In commenting upon the
work thus summarized, President Man
derson said:
"The evil of over legislation, OF the
passion for law making, continues with
undated force, bringing in its train the
ills of paternalis1n. dead letter statutes,
with disregard and even contempt for
law. Last year your speaker called at
tention to some OF the absurd enactments,
many of which are more honored in the
breach than in the observance, that fill
space in the session laws. Luckily there
are some constitutional limitations upon
legi lative power, and those who have
framed organic acts have sought in some
degree to check the avaricious appetites
of the annual and biennial Legislators.
"That in the minds of the people there
is growing distrust of Legislative bodies
and fear of the course of their leaders, is
shown by the action of later constitu-
tional conventions i'll curtailing the
length of sessions, the substitution of BIZ