New-York tribune., 1905-08-11
COUNSEL FOR THE INSURANCE INQUIRY.

COUNSEL FOR THE INSURANCE IAQoihl'
Even the most captous impatience ought 10
be satisfied with the result OF the lnsuiahOo ~
vestigating Committees search Tor couhsei'
Senator Armstrong and his coileagues H",0
wisely refused to be stampeded lhlo tne e
gagement of counsel without thorough sulNes
of the field and complete satisfaction that tneir
choice was the best that could be made. Inc
selection of lawyers was an act on when the
success of the whole undertaking depended. ID
any investigation the counsel is to consider
able extent the committee, and while able ana
self-reliant committeeman may well reserve 10
themselves the final direction of their work, yet
its scope and to q greater extent It's character,
must inevitably be determined by the attorneys
who examine witnesses and STUDY out the de-
tails of matters to be presented
In choosing James McKeen for one OF the
counsel the committee assures the public, not
merely that the inquiry will be conducted with
the utmost diligence and impartiality and on
the highest possible plane, but also that II Is
itself sincerely devoted TO an inquiry OF that
sort No more convincing answer could pe
given to malicious insinuations that the mem
bers of the committee did not want thorough
INQUIRY and had difficulty in securing counsel
because they meant to conduct an investigation
with a string to it." No man for an instant
supposes that Mr. McKeen would take up this
do his duty wherever the investigation leads
and whomever it may hit; and committee
would ever think of choosing him for its counsel
unless it fully intended to make thorough in
vestigation, without thought of shielding friends
or Furnishing enemies. No movement of good
citizenship has been seen in this city for many
wears in which James McKeen did not bear
part AS Assistant Corporation Counsel in
charge of the Brooklyn office under Mayor Low,
he made an enviable reputation, and the charac-
ter which he subsequently displayed when an
unsuccessful candidate for Justice OF the Su-
preme Court was a memorable lesson in good
citizenship He squarely refused TO pay politi-
cal strikers to promote his ambition, and IN the
campaign he refused to modify legal opinions
which would have disarmed certain corporate
hostities and probably have secured his cleo
ton.
Mr. Hughes, who will take an equal share in
the investigation with Mr. McKeen, has abill-
ties which happily complement those of his col
league. Mr.. McKeen is predominantly judicial;
Mr. Hughes is aggressive. Both are able. Mr..
Hughes made so enviable a reputation as coun-
sci to the gas committee that the desirability
of having him associated with the insurance in
vestigation was clear from the first He is in
Europe. however. and his own delicate sense of
professional honor made him hesitate to accept
the place because of former legal services to
Equitable interests. The committee, however,
assured itself that his employment had been
purely in the conduct of ordinary commercial
cases and involved no entangling alliances; and
even if any i'll disposed critic should, on that
account seek to discredt the impartiality of the
committee, the association of Mr.. McKeen with
the inquiry would make his efforts of no avail.
If in addition to these men the committee is
able 10 realize its hopes and secure the services
of Mr.. Choate in an advisory capacity, it will
be aided by an array of counsel which it would
be hard to match. The committee would un-
doubtedly have been glad TO intrust to Mr.
Choate the active direction of the investiga-
ton, but it is understood that he declined even
TO consider undertaking that work. He would
do a great public service. however by acting as
a advisor and his name would offer an ad-
ditiOnal guarantee of fruitful inquiry if in
deed. that could be needed after the selection
of the other lawyers.