The Washington herald., 1906-11-14
ATTORNEY GENERAL MOODY.
Many Tasks of the Counsel for the
Whole American People.


In the Worlds Work Isaac T. Mareosson
tells intimately the personality and work
Of Attorney General Moody, who. perhaps.
more than any Of his predecessors. has
emphasized the fact that ne is counsel for
al the American people. Among other
things he says:
Mr.. Moody keeps in personal touch with
his subordinates all over the country. He
has established the precedent Of sending a
representative from the Department Of
Justice to every important case. Some
times as in the beef trust case. he goes
himself. He has personally argued more
cases than any other Attorney General
he argued, for example. the peonage case,
IN which the Supreme Court sustained mis-
contention that holding laborers in legal
bondage for debt was unconstitutional
This has broken I'D a form Of slavery
that survived In the South He also ar
gued the johnson coupling case, which
resulted in a decision by the Supreme
Court compelling all railroads to put
safety couplers on cars, thus avoiding
much injury 10 the life and limbs Of
rainmen. II was Attorney General
Moody who advised Congress that it could
pass the railroad rate bill, and he was
the Presidents constant adviser in the
matter. The postal and land fraud cases
we're conducted under his direction. He
has been the first Attorney General TO en-
pl0y criminal law in the prosecution Of
violations against the antitrust laws. His
working creed summed up is: Too much
routine overwhelms a man and units him
for creative and active work 1 believe
IN men"
On one Of his horseback rides about
Washington occurred an incident which
shows Attorney General MOOdy's sense
Of humor. He was riding alone when a
man gallOped up alongside and engaged
| him In conversation. He proved to be a
newspaper correspondent who had not
beer in the city very long. and who be-
gan TO talk in a very light vein
Il suppose you meet most Of the govern
ment officials" said Mr.. Moody.
on. yes replied the correspondent.
Take those Cabinet officers for example.
They are very ordinary people-like you
ard me, only some Of them are indus
tTious. There's Postmaster General Payne.
He works from early till late. Judge
Taft is a worker. too
HOW ABOUT secretary MGUuE asked
his companion. falling in with the spirit
Of the conversation.
Hes a big man-but he is the LATEST
fellow in the Cabinet" By this time
they reached a drug store and stopped
TO have a drink Of soda water. When they
were about 70 separate Mr.. Moody said;
I've had a very pleasant ride with
you. ! hope We shall meet again
The newspaper man took out card and
handed il 10 Mr.. Moody. who in turn
handed him one Of his. But he did not
wait 10 witness the correspondents en-
barTassment.
AS q young lawyer Mr. Moody was
noted for his ready answers.
once he appeared as prosecuting attor-
ney IN the case Of a very pious old man
who was charged with setting FIRE TO his
house. The prisoner stoutly denied the
charge, alleging that he was quietly read
ing his Bible when the fire started. Quick
as a flash, MT. Moody asked:
Were you reading the sentence. He
tEat kindleth the FIRE shall surely make
festitution2' q