The Topeka state journal., 1901-01-31
LAWYERS here.
President Kimble Delivers His
Annual Address.
John Marshall Exercises to Be
Held Tonight.

The State Bar association met this
afternoon at 2 o'clock in the supreme
court room. Samuel Kimble of Manhat-
tan, president of the association, deliv-
cred his annual address which in part
was as follows:
ton at this the first meeting of the as
sociation on the threshold of the twen-
tieth century I shall content myself by
keeping strictly within the lines of what
believe to be the particular duty OF
a presiding officer, and cOnflne my ad-
dress to that which shall be in the
nature of "a message" leaving the dis
cussion of special text law subjects TO
others on the programme
In describing the new conditions sur
rounding the existing supreme court or
the state Mr.. Kimble said: The su-
preme court as now constituted, came
into existence, by virtue of constitution
al provision on Tuesday, January 10,
1901, and while the amendment has not
made the organization, at present, as
clear as might have been done, yet by
common consent, and in perfect accord
with the wishes of the bar of this state,
and in recognition of the eminent ability
of the chief justice heretofore filling the
position, it is understood that the Hon
orabIe Justice Doster shall continue as
the chief justice of the state.
In connection with the subject of the
supreme court 1 cannot retain from
aVailing of this special opportunity to
again call the attention of both bench
and bar, as well as the public, to an
ideal of my own however much may
be regarded as a crank upon the sub
ject, and however much the idea may
appear to some as impracticable. In the
full confidence that the idea was valu-
able 1 offered a plank which 1 hoped
might be embodied in the platform OF a
party organization in 1886. The plank
had special reference to the federal su-
preme court, but applying the same
principle to the state judicial system
would read thus: THAT before any act
Of the legislature, which shall have been
regularly enacted according to the gem
eral forms provided for the enactment of
laws by the legislature and duly ap-
proved by the governor as the executive
branch of the state, shall be held void
by the judicial department OF the STATE
on the sole ground that it IS in conflict
with the constitution, such decision
shall be the concurrent opinion of five
Judges of the supreme court" In speak
ing of railroad legislation Mr.. Kimble
characterized the dealings with the late
court of visitation as a lamentable ex-
perience. In registering kick as
he termed it against the practice among
lawyers of spending large sums of
money for law books, he continued: My
suggestion would be that while ambition
should prompt US to be as up to date
as possible, we should control that am
bition and see to it that we do not un-
wisely invest too much Of our earnings
in the fictitious value OF the various law
publications presented TO our dttenllOn
And / would further suggest that the
grievance is of sufficient Importance to
Justify concerted action to the end that
more condensed publication Of case law
might be given to the profession" In
this connection Mr.. Kimble urged a re-
vision of the Kansas statutes to be
made by a commission OF three con-
servatiye lawyers to be provided for
by the present legislature. Then after
the commission has compiled the work
the publication should be secured by
the state under contract and the books
= f~~s low
The evening session viii begin at
O'Clock and will be held in the supreme
court room
Of John Marshall. The programme is as
follows:
Wichita.
Milliken, Mcpherson.
Marshall the Diplomat" f. L. Will
liams. Clay Center
"Marshan as the Expounder Of the
Constitution E w. Cunningham, En-
Music by the Ad Astra quartette
Tomorrow's programme is as follows:
Address. 1.-The Common Law in KaE-
sas'' J. d. Mcfarland, Topeka.
Address: Divorce" N. l. Bowman
Garrett.
address. ~Unanimity verdicts.' Frank
AFTERNOON SESSION. ? O'CLOCK.
Report of judiciary committee. David
OverInyer, chairman. Topeka
Address. THE Bankruptcy Law "
Thomas B. Wall, Wichita.
Address. Should the Present Method |
of Taking Cases to the Supreme Court
be Reformed?' David Overmyer, To-
pelxa.
Miscellaneous business.
Election of officers
Banquet, Hotel Throop, $3.50 p m.
-------
Parole Bill Passes Senate.
The senate passed the bin introduced by |