Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-01

notable company, including President
Roosevelt Vice President Fairbanks and
prominent representatives of all branches
OF the government.
Following the dinner there were a number
of impromptu speeches, the speakers in
Guiding the President, who responded to the
toast The President" Judge Brown, who
INDUCED briefly in "reminiscences of his
I experience on the bench; Associate Justice
Harlan, who expressed the regrets Of him
self and associates on the bench over JUS
tice Browns departure; Vice President
Fairbanks, Secretary Root, Speaker Can
non and William A. Maury of the Spanish
treaty claims commission, who spoke for
the bar association.
The President was introduced by William
Mattingly, the president of the bar asso-
citation, after the assembled gathering had
drunk standing, a toast to The Presi-
dent.
Covers were laid for seventy-five persons,
the specially invited guests, in addition TO
those who made speeches, including Chief
Justice Fuller of the Supreme Court, Asso-
ciate Justices White, Holmes and Nc
Kenna, Secretary Hitchcock, Attorney Gen
eral Moody, Postmaster General Cortelyou,
Chief Justice Peelle of the Court of Claims
Chief Justice Shepard of the Court of APP
peals of the District of Columbia, Chief
Justice Clabaugh of the Supreme Court of
the District of Columbia, Senators Culber-
son and Warren. James II. McKenny, Maj.
y Vi.
officials of the Supreme Court H. L. Bond
jr., Robert NJ. Hughes, Lawrence Maxwell,
jr., and w. d. Guthrie.
Praise From the President
The President spoke in high praise Of the
United States Supreme Court
1T is sometimes good thing to be heard
first" said the President. 1T is always
good thing to have the right to speak last.
That right belongs to the Supreme Court.
The President and the Congress are all very
well in their way. They can say what they
think they think, but it rests with the SUI
prerne Court TO decide what they have
really thought
MIR. Justice. have come here tonight
to pay the just homage due to you for
your work on the bench, to thank you on
behalf of the people of the United States
for what you have done, and to wish you
in your time of welI-earned and well-de-
served rest. many. many, happy years.
There is but one thing better than the right
to do honorable service, and that is the
right to rest after the honorable service
has been well done. And, Mr. Justice, it
has been your great good fortune to earn
the right to both.
I'm all the world and, I think, gentle
men, you will acquit me of any disposition
to needless fattery, there is no body Of men
OF equal numbers that possesses the dig
nifty and power combined that inhere in
that court over which, Mr. Chief Justice,
you preside. Owing to the peculiar con-
StructlOn OF our government The man VINO
does his full duty on that court must OF
necessity be not only a good jurist but
great constructive statesman. 1t has been
our supreme good fortune nation that
we have had on that court from the be-
ginning to the present day men who have
been able to carry on in worthy fashion
the traditions which have thus made 1t In
cumioent upon the members of the court to
combine in such fashion the qualities of the
great jurist and of the constructive states
man. There has been at times criticism of
the court.
Criticism is General.
Mr.. Chief Justice, in this country think
1t would puzzle any one to name any Office
or officer any institution, any man or body
of men of whom 1t is not true that there
has been criticism. And / think that those
among us who have been in public life will
be the first to say that while the criticism
may not be always just, yet that 1t is al
ways good thing that the possibility of It
should exist and that the criticism Should
at times be exercised.
1T is astonishing how much any one can
profit even by unjust criticism. and 80 1
am not going to waste sympathy upon the
Supreme Court because 1t occasionally in
this manner shares the fate of our common
humanity.
but. Mr. Justice, need not tell you
that the criticism is in the minds of our
people very small and trivial thing COM
pared with the deep reverence felt for the
body of which you have been SO distin-
guished a member. Here again state but
the bare truth when I say that know no
other body, here abroad. as to which
there is such consensus of opinion both
here and abroad as to the respect, the rev.
erence In which 1t is rightfully held.
should think but Ill of you II you failed to
realize the Importance attaching to each
decision of yours, because In all the world
there Is no say-so of any similar body OF
men which carries the weight-the weight
of power and the weight of gladly rendered
and enforced respect-which your decisions
carry.
Heed to Material Success
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 acquisitions OF
wealth. do not think that that accusation
is well founded. A great deal OF notoriety
attaches and must attach to any man who
acquires great fortune II he acquires It
well and uses ii well he Is entitled to and
should receive the same need of credit that
attaches to any other man who uses his
talents for the public good
Bat ii you will turn to see those who In
the past the nation has delighted to honor