The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-22
LIGHTS OF AMERICAN BAR
LAWYERS FROM MANY CITIES IN
CONVENTION AT DENVER.
President Wetmore's Annual Address
Important Changes in Statute
Laws Reviewed.

DENVER, Aug. 21.-The American Bar
Association opened it's twenty-fourth an
nual meeting at the Tabor Grand Opera
House to-day, with a very large attend
ance of members and spectators. Gen.
Charles F. Henderson, of Nebraska, presi-
dent OF the association last year. intro
duced President Wetmore, OF New York.
Welcoming addresses were then made by
Platt Rogers, for the Colorado Bar As
ISOLATION, and Hugh Butler for the Denver
Bar Association.
A brief response was made by President
Wetmore. after which he deliv-
cred his annual address. He re-
viewed the important changes in
the statute laws of the States and Nation
under the following classification: Corpora
tons and trusts, labor, taxation, municipal
ownership, elections, the administration of
the law, civil and criminal, and newly
created o~ffenses, education. the laws relat-
ing to marriage and the relation of husband
and wife and the laws upon miscellaneous
subjects for the regulation OF matters af-
fecting public health. morals or welfare.
Corporations and trusts, Mr.. Wetmore
said, continue TO occupy much legislative
attention. 1.-The Incorporation of a COM
pany in one States solely for the purpose
of doing business elsewhere" he continued,
is not k6D6TdllN lOOh6O upOn i W.
in the States where they are Intended TO
operate. and there is a tendency 10 exact,
as far as possible, the same guarantees and
extend the same control over foreign cor
State where they do business, and even to
hold the foreign corporation TO a s~tricter
accountability"
Mr.. Wetmore also said: 1.-The subject Of
trusts has entered into the political issues
that divide parties in the country. Time
and experience will. doubtless. show the
axno6ianav Of r1n6ifUfno much of the laQlG-
lation that has been had upon this difficult
subject. 1t is a striking fact, however,
that while thirty States OF the Union have
adopted stringent antitrust laws within
the past eleven years, yet during the same
period the amount of capital and labor en-
ployed in the form of consolidated incor-
poration, to which that name is usually
given, has, in those very States, steadily
and even enormously increased, which
would seem TO show that without trenching
upon rights guaranteed by the Constitutions
OF all the States, the abolition of that form
OF employment of capital is beyond the
reach of legislative power"
Treating of labor legislation passed by
California, Minnesota, Utah, Colorado.
Texas, Oregon, Illinois, Missouri and Idaho,
the speaker said that 1.-The right 10 CO.
operate belongs 10 all alike. that constitu-
tional guarantees secure untrammeled free
dom Of every man to give his labor or TO
employ the labor of others upon such terms
as the parties themselves may agree, sub
ject only to the restraint of such abuses. as.
on grounds of public policy and the public
right. may be properly the subject Of legis-
lative interference"
On the subject of elections in various
States, especially those in which the cleo
ton of United States senators by the peo-
pie and the referendum idea have been
adopted OF suggested, Mr.. Wetmore said
such legislation showed a distrust by the
people of legislative bodies. The admins
tration of the law by various States, edu-
cation and the laws relating 10 husband and
wife were hastily touched upon by the
speaker, after which he took up the laws
and regulations relating to public health
and welfare as passed by the several States.
MIR. Wetmore said that a general survey
showed some defects. among which were
overlegislation, opportunist legislation, the
evil which produced what is known as the
political boss"
IN conclusion he said: 1.-THE opponents
of the extreme doctrines of Socialists are
found. not among the toiling masses, but
among authors and students and theorists.
The preachers of the doctrine of discomfort
may be met among the educated. the in
telligent and well-intentioned, quite as
among the self-seekers and the dema-
Secretary John Huxley announced that
the executive council had approved the ap-
plications of 164 new members. represent
ing twenty-One States and Territories. OF
these sixty-four are from Colorado. They
were declared members of the association.
President Wetmore then announced COM
mittees to audit the treasurers report and
on publication and on reception. A new
general council was chosen. including the
lOllON ZIP iAiAA'iTr - DRAAs H-s'
w. =. Breen.
a memorial from the Louisiana Purchase
Exposition Company was read. inviting the
association To meet in ST. Louis. in 1905.
and also to appoint "a committee of one
hundred lawyers from the various States
of the Union, and, If thought advisable,
from foreign countries. 10 formulate a
plan for a universal law congress 10 be
held as a feature OF the exposition. The
memorial was referred to a special COM
mittee. Several members spoke briefly, in
dorsing the suggestion contained In the
memorial.
This afternoon the annual meeting OF the
Associat ton OF American Law Schools was
held. Seventeen schools were represented
as follows: Boston University Law School.
Buffalo Law School. Cincinnati Law School.
Harvard University Law School. Univer-
sitv Of Illinois College OF Law. University
OF Michigan Department OF Law. University
OF Minnesota College OF Law. University
of Missouri Department OF Law, New York
University School of Law. Northwestern
Law School. ST. Louis Law School, West
ern Reserve University Law School. Uni
versity of Wisconsin College of Law. Yale
University Law School. w. L. Rogers. OF
the Indiana State University. presided.
The following schools were admitted TO
membership: Hastings Law School. Univer-