The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-15

and do most heartily indorse all the
good things said by the attorney for the
plaintin upon this sentiment 50 far as
the same relate to the history OF the su-
preme court, its record and its standing,
and so far his remarks refer alone to
the justices Of the court who were mem
bers before the recent deluge. He then
referred to the high record Of the su-
preme court Of the state made since its
eSta blishment in 1850
1T is a high honor to become a part
Of court which has been graced by a
Ewing, "A k1ngman. a Horton, Valen-
tine, an Allen,a Martin, a Doster,a john
stOn. a Smith and by others who with
them form galaxy OF celebrated jurists
and gentlemen
AS TO the new members this may be
said with safety They viii give to the
work q patient and faithful application
with the view Of utilizing fully such
abilities as they possess They will not,
out of a preconceived notion of what
ought to have been attempt to disturb
and unsettle the Jurisprudence of this
state upon the stability Of which such
diversified and important interests de-
pend They viii endeavor to profit by
the lessons which they Will learn from
their elders whose wisdom and expert
ence will doubtless guide them past
many snares and pitfalls. And these
new members Of the court will also look
to the bar for sympathy for forbear-
ance, and for intelligent aid They are
from you and of you, and a just meas
failure viii rest on your shoulders
II. T. Chase of the Capital, responded
to the toast "A Layman's View He
made a few remarks regarding the man.
ner in which he had been placed on the
programme. and closed with a short
paper with general reference to the law
and the courts
ITO the lay mind the creation of su-
preme courts as a sort of limitation on
the versatility Of the legal profession
in their view of the law, is one of the
most ingenious and benefcent of inven--
tiOns,' he declared. 1T is manifest that
without our supreme court our laws
would mean nothing more than they ap-
pear to signify to the ordinary intelli-
gence- With nobody to decide what the
laws mean. there could be no lawing:
cess of arriving at Justice; and justice
We all demand with the strenuousness
Of the man who was bound to have
peace If he-had to fight for it.
The people from time to time be-
cause Of some great agitation appealing
to their moral nature experience a
spasm Of virtue and high purpose Laws
are then and there enacted expressing
the purpose to the community. In the
course of time the excitement subsidies
and the community relapses into its or
binary frame Of mind. But the law still
stands despite the opinions of some not
all laymen, that the law is above the
capacity of the people. If the principle
that when the ardor of the people cools
the law should be repealed had not been
secuted out of court years ago there
would have been no progress
Judge s. I'll. Allen responded to the
toast tPresumptions~ He spoke Of the
early history Of the world when there
was no law but might, and of the evo-
luton of the law and of the knowledge
Of the law which judges were supposed
to have from justices of the peace to
justices Of the supreme court, and
closed with a tribute to the present su-
prene court
The honored. guests of this evening
are conclusively presumed to know all
the laws Of our state and to correctly
apply them in all controversies which
they decide. Only in matters relating to
The constitution or laws of the United
State is it possible for them to err, and
this error may only be declared by the
supreme court Of the United States,
which on those questions is alone en-
lowed with infallibility.
I'VE all have reason to congratulate |
ourselves that the final determination of
All our causes in this state rests in the !
hands Of gentlemen whose past records !