The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-04
Memorial to the Departed SUI
preme Court Justice.
An Eloquent Address by Mr..
Justice Burch.
HIS NOBLE CHARACTER
Battle for Supremacy OF Law as
Practitioner.
Fearless Support of Honesty on
the Bench.

On behalf of the supreme court
Justices, Justice R. A. Burch this
morning at the opening of the May
session of the court, read a memorial
to the late Justice Adrian L. Greene,
whose death occurred several months
ago, after a long illness.
There has recently been placed in
the supreme court room an excellent
oil painting of the late Justice Greene,
by George M. Stone, the Topeka
artist, who has furnished the court
with oil paintings of the last six
judges to leave the bench.
Justice Burch's tribute to his late
colleague was in the nature of a re-
Spouse to a brief biographical sketch
of Justice Greene which was read be-
fore the court by L. ]. Graham, the
supreme court reporter. Justice
Burch said:
The memorial which has just been
presented gives the leading facts OF
our departed brothers outer life:
Something of an Interpretation OF
these facts with relation to his inner
life may not be inappropriate.
To render such an exposition is a olfl-
cult task Our natural limitations are
such that uncons ciously we are con-
strained to dwell upon those things we
praise or blame; and who are we that
we should presume to do either! Inc
admonition Judge not" beats upon the
is filled with dismay. There Is none
that Understandable. Man blind
folded soweth the seed and bl1ndly ne
reapeth." We who know nothing of
the mystery which hath been hid from
ages and from generations can not
know what is really just or true or
admirable or great. The tribunal
which renders the just judgment of
men and their works makes no revela-
ton of its decisions and no one has
ever returned to report to US the true
standard by which the just measure
ment is taken. Making our own ex-.
pertinent of life in the dark as Judge
Greene did, framing our own symbols
of what is fit and noble and true as
he fearlessly did. we can only report
him as he seemed to US to be, and then
in due humility wait.
Living in an age of rapid progress
and continual readjustment, when
ideals. interests, manners, customs,
modes of thought and of worship were
all in a state of ferment and of change
and when laws themselves seemed al
most to be the fragile and 1nconStant
works of a moment, Judge Greene trod
the perilous pathway of life undaunteo.
because, with a quick conscience for
his guide, and with a clear perception
of that moral law which to, every age
and in every place speaks IN the same
accents he relied upon h1mSelf as
the master of his own destiny. He
was so self poised and self contained,
his traits of character were so self
derived and self dependent that in re-
f1ecting upon them the words of THE
Kasidah" are at once recalled:
"Do what thy manhood bids thee do, from
None but self expect applause:
He noblest lives and noblest dies who
Makes and keeps his self-made laws.
"All other life is living death, world
Where none but Phantoms dwell,
A breath a wind, a sound. voice,
Thinking of the camel-bell.''
The necessary accomplishments of
such a type of character are fearless
ness, consistency and steadfastness,
clear vision, elevation of thought and
purpose, and all the strength which
sincerity and integrity can confer.
1t is also inevitable that to such a man
the conduct of life should always be
a rational proceeding.
While Judge Greene was Intimately
concerned with the maintenance of the
pace of genuine progress and was al
ways open minded to each fresh dis
covery of truth. he was seldom found
making speculative experiments into
doubtful fields and was always slow to
adopt new or alluring theories until
the magnifying glass of time and ex-
perience had revealed all weaknesses
and shortcomings and had Demon
strated their practical soundness. He
can not be credited with any distinct
modification of the thought or opinion