The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-01
LAUDS
SUPREME COURT
Delivers Impromptu Speech at
Dinner in Honor Of JUS
tice Brown.

Washington, June Associate JUS
tice Henry Billings Brown Of the
United States supreme court, whose re-
tirement from the bench was announced |
in court last Monday, was the guest |
Of honor at dinner given by the Bar
last night.
The president responded to the toast,
NThe President He said in part:
CIT is sometimes good thing to be
heard first. 1t is always a good thing
to have the right to speak last; that
right belongs to the supreme court. The
president and the congress are all very
we'll in their way. They can say what
they think, but it rests with the SUI
preme court to decide what they have
really thought.
"In all the world, and I think, gen
tlemen, you will acquit me of any dis
position to needless fattery, there is
possess the dignity and power combined
that inhere in that court over which,
| Mr.. Chief Justice, you preside. Owing
to the peculiar construction Of our gov
eminent, the man who does his full
duty on that court must of necessity
be not only great iurist but great
constructive statesman.
Value of Criticism. .
"There has been at times criticism
of the court. Mr.. Chief Justice, in this
country I think it would puzzle anyone
to name an office or officer, any insti-
tuition, any men or body of men, Of
whom it is not true that there has been
criticism. And I think that those
among us who have been in public life
will be the first to say that, while crit
icism may not be always just, yet that
it is always a good thing that the pos
sibility Of it should exist and that the
criticism should at times be exercised.
It is astonishing how much any one
so [ am not going to waste sympathy
upon the supreme court because it occa-
sionally in this manner shares the fate
of our common humanity.
"But, Mr.. Justice, I need not tell you
that the criticism is in, the minds of our
people very small and trivial thing
compared with the deep reverence felt
for the body of which you have been so
distinguished member.
"Mr. Justice, we Americans are some
times accused of paying too much heed
to mere material success, to the success
which is measured only by, the acquisi-
ton Of wealth; It'll, do not think that Ia ae
Of notoriety attaches and must attach
to any man who acquires a great for
tune. p. If he acquires it we'll and uses
it well. he is entitled to and should re-
ceive the same need OF credit that at
taches to any other man who uses his
talents for the public good.
r~ 49, Nation Is Sound.
"But if you will turn to see those
who in the past the nation has delighted
to honor, and those in the present whom
it delights to honor, I think you will all
agree that this nation is sound at bot
tom in the bestowal Of it's admiration
in the relative estimate it puts upon
the different qualities of the men who
achieve prominence by rendering serv
ice to the public. nI..a
F.. sEThetnamese that stand out in our his
tory in the past are the names of the
men who haVe2done good work for the
4 body polite, and ip the present the
4 names of those whom this people really
hold in highest Honor are the names Of
them n:sthe. best and most worthy fash
4 ion.. Irr no way is it possible. to de
4 serve better of the republic than by
rendering sane, honest. clearsighte(
1 service on the bench. and, above all, OF
\ the highest bench of this country.
p" "Mr. Justice, it has been your sll
preme good fortune to do that work, t.
4 render that service, to make us all you
debtors by the part YOU have played II
the greatest court of this or any othe
land. On behalf of the people, than
| you for. your past and wish you wei
in the future.' ~ = =