River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-05-23
HAVE NO VACATIONS.
Justices of the Supreme Court Busy
the Year Around.
When Not I'm Session at Washington
They Either Act as Circuit
Jadges or Else Are Pre-
pairing Opinions.
Especial washington Letter.1

court never takes a vaca-
tion,'' said Senator Stew
art, of Nevada
This seemed like paradox, in view
of the fact that we were talking
about the official announcement that
the high tribunal was about to adj
journ, and actually take a vacation.
By way of explanation Senator Stew
art said:
''I've been acquainted with the SUI
preme court for well-nigh 40 years,
and have had many eases before that
august body. 1t is, and always has
been, an aggregation of great men,
all of them great workers. Matt Car
penter once said to me: 4 never knew
a body of lawyers who were such
gluttons for work. They seem to
revel in it, What l mean and what
Carpenter meant is that the chief
justice and all of the associate JUS
tees are hard at work every day in
the year, no matter whether the
court is in session or not"
From that view point the sweeping
statement of Senator Stewart is cor
rect. Young lawyers throughout the
land may envy these eminent gentle
men who receive $4,000 per annum
for life; particularly when they read
in the newspapers that the court has
adjourned for three or four months
at time. They do not know that
the chief justice, and each member
OF the court, takes with him num-
Der of cases upon which time and
talent must be expended in order
that comprehensive reports may be
made as to law and fact, so that their
conclusions may meet with the APP
proval Of the court as a body when
it reconvenes for its next session.
Their lives are not easy by any
means.
The question of the $4,000 a year
does not weigh in the matter at all,
for any one of them could earn five
times the sum in legal practice,
which would not take one-twentieth
the time he now devotes to his official
duty. The honor of the position, the
pride they take in filing it conscien-
tiously, and the realization of the
service they perform for their coun-
try and the profession is doubtless
comparative to them, and furnishes
sufficient ;nducement for retaining
their positions.
Very few people, in fact very few
lawyers, realize to what extent the
duties of the members of the SUI
preme court weigh them down with
arduous and exacting details.
When the court is in regular ses-
sion the chief justice and associate
justices meet at the capitol every
Saturday for consultation. They as
semble in little room set apart for
that purpose. Up to this point the
lawyers are well informed concerning
each case; but here the public may
not enter and interested parties can
only surmise. The consultation cham
Der is the holy of holes, where pro-
fame foot dare not tread, curious eye
may not rest, and, more than all,
where no inquisitiye ear can listen.
What goes on within these walls is a
secret locked in the breasts of the
members themselves, and they never
tell. 1t is surmised, however, that in
this room and at this time the mem
bers of the court express their in
dividual opinions upon each case at
issue and reach conclusions on it.
The chief justice thereupon desig-
mates one of his associates to prepare