New-York tribune., 1906-08-30
MANY LAWYERS MEET.
Law SYSTEM ATTACKED.
ErcessiUe Legislation and Weak
Prosecution Discussed.

St. Paul, Aug. 2s.-Lawyers from nearly every
state In the Union met here to-day at the twenty
ninth annual convention Of the American Bar As
ISOLATION Several matters of great Importance will
be considered. A debate is expected when
the committee insurance law presents its report
Federal supervision over insurance is favored by
majority Of the committee. who. in their report,
hold that insurance Is interstate commerce. A
vigorous minority report will be the assOcia-
ton, attacking the theory that insurance is inter-
state commerce and be regulated by the federal
government.
Rome G. Brown. president Of the Minnesota State
Bar Association, welcomed the visitors at the be-
ginning Of to-day's session. He introduced George
R. Peck. Of Chicago, president OF the association.
who delivered the presidents annual address Mr..
Pecl's address contained summary Of the impor-
tant legislation Of the last year. both in the national
Congress and In the state Legislature. II dealt At
length with the enactments OF Congress the
subject OF railway rates and pure food, well
the trust legislation Of the national government He
said in part:
It is a significant perhaps ominous evidence OF
the changes in the popular idea OF the legislative
function TO note the vastly increased range OF sub
becoming largely-too largely. I thtnk-merely ad
mnistrative and regulative; establishing rules for
drawing lines Of separation between that which Is
and always permissible and that which shall
no longer be so establishing boards and commits
slons and providing for a scrutiny which more
posed to pertain eScusiveiy to the indvidual pri
srg n fgr p5ersssd s All e this i s or less rTtat
II it hurts But Il Is folly 70 suppose that modern
and egsiators orr Th be dumb m snd sent '0peSy
do not believe in laissez faire and yet. a.
enacted for no reason whatever except to crafty
the ambition Of some legislator 20 have his name
attached 20 Law. Every act passed adds more or
less to the individual shrinkage' OF which Maeter
advantage to orr organized Society; and undoubtedis
the citizen gets the worst OF the bargain whenever
shall not believe that the great volume of leg
a a. baS Of
something higher and better than that-an earnest
stood 40 anG conHcoa % a q2 te e % ad e6
for doing % something me The SeveloRmsGt OF the
pose it Is steadily proceeding; but how about the
for is to prevent the ebIiteraon Of men an The dan
ger OF to-day is that the best and most promising
state" viii be swallowed up. ground up in the
wheels Of a relentless Unsuitable mechanism that
once individual right and individual freedom with
must DO as lawyers ana az still more as American
citizens And out Of it al step by step, shall
We shall go forward
STATES AND COMMERCE
John J. Jenkins. chairman Of the judiciary Com
nittee Of the national House of Representatives.
spoke TO the question. Can Congress Transfer to
the States It's Power to Regulate Commerce?" His
discussion dealt largely with the proposal to give
the states power TO exclude from their bounda-
ries any article which they might wish TO- notably
liquors or tobacco. He said in part:
Ihe law Is adequate to remedy the evils
planned of but the law is not enforced. and
strong sentimental appeal has been made and is
oeing made 10 Congress 70 aid the states the
assumption that the federal government standing
IN the way Of reform. preventing the states from
properly enforcing the law; that the want TO
enforce the law, but cannot because the federal
government protects the shippers Of interstate
The protective power Of the nation extends over
interstate commerce from the time IL begins COM
mercial transit and remains with IL continuously
until II reaches the consignee or is sold be-
comes part of the great mass OF property in the
state This power Of Congress is TO be found in
the Constitution and decisions Of the Supreme
the Constitution itself
The power of Congress to exclusively regulate
interstate commerce and foreign commerce is
vital to the prosperity and permanency Of the
DnIon TO allow tne leglsiation ton or 1850 70 remain
weaken US with foreign nations for the product
of the foreign importer will be subject the law
of the state of arrival and IL will destroy foreign
! commerce well as interstate cornn,erca.