New-York tribune., 1906-06-01
HONOR JUSTICE BROWN
President Roosevelt Pays Warm
Tribute to q Just Judge.

Washington. May 31-Ex-Associate Jr1sttes Henry
biiings Brown. OF the United States Supreme
Court. whose retirement from the bench was an
nounced in court last Monday. was the guest Of
honor at dinner given by the Bar Association OF
the District OF Columbia at The New Willard Hotel
Tonight Those present. in addition the mem
oers OF the Bar Association. included President
Roosevelt. Vice-President Fairbanks and repre-
sentatives of the executive. judicial and legislative
branches OF the national government. President
Roosevelt arrived about o'clock
Following the dinner there impromptu
speeches. the speakers including the President who
responded to the toast 'The President: ex-Justice
Brown. VINO gave "reminiscences of his experience
on the bench: Associate Justice Harlan, who ex-
pressed the regrets OF himself and associates the
bench over Justice Browns departure: Vice-Presi-
dent Fairbanks. Secretary Root Speaker Cannon
and William A. Maury. of the Spanish Treaty
Claims Commission. who spoke for the Bar Asso-
clation Others present were Chief Justice Fuller
OF or the Supreme Court, Associate Justices White.
ney General MOODY Possmaster General SorteIvou
Gh1ef Justice Peelle of the Court of Claims CHIEF
et Of coumba cSief justice Gs 'ns Of he
supreme Court OF the District OF Columbia; sena-
tors Culberson and Warren, James r. McKenney
Major j. NJ Wright and Charles Henry Butler.
D. Guthrie '''
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH.
President Roosevelts speech follows:
tic r = GhaTman and YOU. our guest Mr. Chief JUS
10 SoiHellneS good thing to be heard first.
l6sI That right belongs TO the Supreme Court Inc
their way They can say what h they & think they ~
1nk put Il rests with the Supreme Court to decide
"nat they have really thought
81, MT Justice. we have come here tonight to pay
bench to thank You on behalf of the people Of the
@ United States for what you have done and TO wish
res rest many, many happy years. There is but one
snins better than the right to do honorable service
ahu lhat is the right TO rest after the honorable
service @ has been well DONE And. Mr. Justice, IT has
both your great good fortune to earn the right to
In al the world-and think gentlemen you will
snsEe IS no body OF men Of equal numbers that pos
OWIng 10 the peculiar construction OF our govern
nent the man who does his full duty that court
must Of necessity be not only great turst. but
a a great constructive statesman. II has been our
supreme good fortune as nation that we have had
Gav Sa hs5 court % from the & Pesn1n NJ to the @
tashion the tradition which has thus made II IN
cunoent upon the members of the court to COM
and of the constructive statesman There has been
at times es, criticism Of the court -, =.
would puzzle any one 70 name any ofhce or officer
i is not true that there has been criticism. And
think that those among US who have been in pub
cis may not s Se always s It sWsys sns good
ha h the saa Criticism hf shoud at or n shod be- & and
IL Is astonishing how much any one profit
to waste sympathy upon the Supreme Court Gov toi be
cause occasionally in this manner shares the fate
POWER OF SUPREME COURT
But, Mr.. Justice. I need not tell YOU that the
criticism IS in the minds of people very small
and and trivial thing compared with the deep
telt for the body of which you have been so dis
tinsuished member. Here again. / state hut the
pare truth when L say that know other body,
mere or abroad TO which there 3 a con-
sensus OF opinion both here and abroad. as to the
respect, the reverence, in which IL Is rghtfully
held l should think but Ill of you il you failed TO
realize the Importance attaching TO each decision
of yours. because in all the world no say
so OF any similar body of which carries the
Welght-the weight of power and the weight ~
decisions
Mr. Justice. Americans are sometimes accused
OF paying too much heed to mere material success
quisition OF wealth do Tot think that that accu-
sation is well founded. A great deal of notoriety
attaches, and must attach. TO amy who
qulreS great fortune. III he acquires IL we'll and
uses IL well he is entitled and should receive the
same need OF credit that attaches TO any other
man who uses his talents for the public good.
But II you will turn TO see those who IN the
the nation has delighted to honor and those in the
present whom 1t delights TO honor. think that
VIII all agree that this nation is sound bot
tom in the beStowal of it's admiration, In the rel
at1ve estimate it puts upon the different qualities
OF the men who achieve prominence by rendering
service 70 the public. The names that stand out
who have done good work for the body polite; and
IN the present the names of those whom this people
really hold In highest honor are the names OF the
men VINO nave done all that was in them in the
best and most worthy fashion. In no way IS IL
possible TO deserve better of the Republic than by
rendering sane. honest, Cearsghted service on the
bench and above all on the highest bench of this
country
MIR. Justice. II has been your supreme good
fortune TO do that work to render that service.
make US all your debtors by the part you have
played in the greatest court of this or any other
land On behalf of the people 1 thank you for
your past and wish you we'll in the future