The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-26
Delivers His Annual Address
Before That Body.
WANTS NO SUBJECTS.
ALI People Under the Flag
Should Be Treated Alike.
Contrary Course Revolutionary
and ImperiaIistic, He Says. 4

history of the American Bar aSSocia-
| ton marked the opening session of the
| 27th annual convention which assem-
bled today. Among the 500 members
of the association who were in attend
ance together with the many foreign
delegates to the Universal Congress OF
Lawyers and Jurists are Associate JUS
tice Brewer of the United States SUI
preme court; John w. Foster, former
secretary of state. and William Ken
nedy. chief justice of the high court
of England. The crowded balcony OF
visitors evinced the widespread interest
taken in the meeting.
During the convention. which con-
tinues until Wednesday noon. when the
Universal Congress of Lawyers and
Jurists will assemble under the au-
spices of the association, it is expected
that several discussions will arise,
chief of which will be that of the
Alaska boundary case"
OF the several committee reports
which will attract particular attention
the report of the commercial commit
tee is most frequently mentioned. This
is due to the fact that at the 1903 con-
vention this report was the center OF
controversy and it is understood that
relative to certain points at issue, a.
satisfactory settlement was not
reached.
The meeting was called to order by
James Hagerman of st. Louis, presi-
dent of the association. Addresses OF
welcome were made by President
Francis of the Louisiana Purchase ex-
position, President Lawson of the Mis-
souri, Bar association and President
Klein of the Bar association of st
Louis. President Hagerman then de-
liVered his address in which he COM
municated the most noteworthy
changes in statute laws on points OF
general interest made in the several
states and by congress during the pre-
ceding year.
President James Hagerman said in
part:
Since the last meeting of this asso-
citation, regular sessions of the legisla-
lures of 13 states have been held, d,name-
ly Georgia Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana.
Maryland, Mississippi, Massachusetts.
New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode
Island, South Carolina and Virginia IN
oregon there has been held a special
session, and the people of oregon, un-
der the initiative and referendum
clause of their constitution, have pass
ed certain legislative acts. There has
been an extraordinary session in Mon
tana and in Virginia, the prolonged ex-
ira session of 1902, 1903-1904, rendered
necessary by the new constitution or
that commonwealth which went into
effect July 10, 1902. has been concluded.
L ne territorial Legislature of Hawaii
has had a special session. Porto R1co
has held the second session OF It's Sec
ond legislative assembly and also an
extraordinary session. The Philippine
commission, composite body original
ly created by the president OF the UNI
ted States as commander-in-chtef or
the army and navy and subsequently
confirmed by congress, exercising tulk
legislative powers, has enacted many
laws governing the people of the Phil
ippine islands. The second session or
the Fifty-eighth congress of the uni
ted States, commencing DecemoeL1
last year and terminating Ap<1i 80 OF
l1zr oh
the long session, has been held and
passed into history.
Congress passed one very import
ant act of far reaching consequence,
to regulate shipping in trade between
ports of the United States and ports or
places in the Philippine archipelago.
and between ports or places In the
Philippines. In my Judgment the neeQ
of the times is that the mandate should
go forth to the American people. as
the judgment of their bench and bar,
that territories can only pe perma-
nently held by the United states upon
the condition that the residents and
inhabitants shall be citizens of the
United States and that there shall be
no tariff laws between such territories
and the states of the union, but alb
shall be within that zone of free trade,
which has heretofore included our
states and territories. In the light OF
such mandate and with a knowledge
of the conditions which it eXacts the
American people may intelligently de-
eide what territory is to be perma-
nently retained. 1 am not one or
those who think it is absolutely es-
sential that all territories of the Unit
ed States should be admitted to state
hood, for / believe that under our
system territories can be governed as
such in harmony with our Republican,
Democratic constitutional principles.
The point which 1 emphasize is and
it seems to me that the ultimate judge
ment of the lawyers of this country
will enforce it, that the inhabitants
of our territories must be entitled to
United States citizenship and they
must have free and unvexed trade re-
lations with us. Otherwise there will
be departure from constitutional meth
ods and principles which will be rev.
olutionary in their nature and lead us
to an Imperialism which is inconsist-
ent with publican-Democratic insti-
tutionS"
Following the presidents address the
election of members and the reports OF
the secretary, treasury and executive
committee were in order. The discus
sion of a paper presented by J. NJ. Dick
inson of Chicago, on THE Alaskan
Boundary Case, concluded the days
session.
The report of the executive commit
tee stated that appropriations to the
amount of $4,S had been made for the
use of the several committees of the
universal congress of lawyers and jur-
lists which convenes Wednesday under
the auspices of the association.
The report of the secretary showed
that during the past year As members
have been added to the association
making a total membership Of 1882.
The report of Treasurer +. e. Wad-
ham, New York, showed q balance on
hand of S6,843.