The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-11-05
VERMONT BAR ASSOCIATION.


Hon. John Young of Newport. Mr..
Youngs subject was especially sea-
sonable, being the legal phase of the
proposed liquor referendum. In his
examination of the question, Mr..
Young arrived at the following con-
illusions:
First That by the fundamental
theory of representative government,
and by the express provisions of the
Constitution of this State legislation
cannot be exercised by the people.
Second-That legislative power can
not be delegated; that it can be ex-
ercised only by the General Assembly
and in the mode designated in the
Constitution.
Third-That law enacted in any
other mode or by any other authority
than that prescribed in the Constitu-
ton, is void.
Fourth-That the great preponder-
ance, in number. of judicial decisions
and opinions held that to submit the
sxpediency of enforcing general law,
to the voters of the whole State, i'll
any form. is unconstitutional
Fifth-That a majority of the courts
of last resort in the United States,
have held that to submit the expedi-
ency of local statutes to the voters
of the municipality to be affected
thereby, is constitutional and valid.
Sixth-That the logic of the matter
and, what seems to me. the better
argument found in the opinions of
! the judges who are in the minority,
irresistibly leads to the conclusion
! that the eXpediency of u general law
may as well be submitted to the vot-
ers of the whole State, as the expedi-
ency of a local statute to the voters
of the locality to be affected thereby.
Interesting memorials were read on
the life and work of the late Chief
Judge Russell S. Taft by Chief Judge
j. w. Rowell, of the late Judge Bar
| Wheeler of the United States district
courtof Vermont, and of the late He.
man S. Royce, Esq, of st. Adams,
by Col. Willard Harrington of that
city Judge Rowell presented a greet
I ing from Hon. George f. Edmunds,
The exercises closed with the admis-
sion of A. G.. Whittemore of Burling
ton to membership when the associa-
! ton adjourned to the Pavilion for the
annual banquet
Plates We're laid for 80, and nearly
! that number were present. a souvenir
menu, unique in its arrangement. the
handiwork of j. II. Senter told the
banqueters what was to eat-and very
much more Wilder's orchestra,
( assisted by G. H. Lowe as vocalist,
| furnished music. At the table of
I honor were seated President Young,
Admiral Clark Gov. Mccullough and
Gen, Gilmore. Prayer was offered
by Rev. a. N. Lewis, and for an hour
the legal lights showed their apprecia-
ton of the plentiful supply of the
good things of this life.
In opening the after dinner exer-
cises, President Young introduced
Admiral Clark, at the same time
paying him a glowing tribute. AS
the Admiral rose, the assemblage did
also, as one man, and broke into en-
thusiastic cheers, demonstrating the
esteem and affection in which the
sailor hero is held by Vermonters.
In his happy way the Admiral ac-
knowledged the greeting He insisted
that he was not a speech maker and
closed with remarking jokingly that
he was glad he was the first instead
of the last speaker, as he would not
like to open with parson and close
with sailor, as it might be refec-
| ton upon the navy.
Gov Mccullough responded to the
| toast, vermont. +" The first portion
of his remarks were devoted to poking
fun at himself. He said that about
thirty years ago, before he became a
| Vermonter, he abandoned the law and
since has been browsing around on the
dry husks of railroads and other
things, especially certain things
which have been apparent to all dur
ing the past six months. Seriously,
he complimented the members of the
Vermont bar upon the high standard
they had attained, saying that the
| lawyers were the barometer Of % State,
citing names of lawyers who had aid
ed in Frightening Vermont's legal
history.
j. H. Senter, became POSTMASTER
for the remainder of the evening, as
! President Young was suffering from q
slight indisposition. Esquire Senter's
sallies, and his remarks in introduce
ing the speakers, were of character
, istic pithiness. Speaking of the
toasts, 1.-THE Senate" and "The
House of Representatives., he said he
had just been notified by those who
were to respond that they were over
worked at the State House and could
not be present. He thought it was
wrong for the Legislators of this State
to be overworked by coming here on
Tuesday and returning home on Thurs
| day-eXhausted.
Judge Wendell P. Stafford respond
ed to the toast, "The Supreme
Court. " He spoke of the lack of re-
spect accorded the magistrate, the
church and the home today, as COM
pared with 100 or even twenty-five
! years ago, and accounted for this
change by holding that we have car
ried our doctrine of individualism and
democracy too far and should become
conservative reformers and reformed
! conservatives.
Hon. Frank Plumley responded to
| the toast, vermont Politics" He
! believed that in the late canvass, we
had more than enough in Vermont to
the square foot He referred with
pride to this influence Vermont poll
tics had in the past upon important
! events. The whole United States has
listened to this little State ms voiced
by Senators Edmunds, Morrill, and