Evening journal., 1908-08-06
INEQUALITIES in
OUR JUSTICE
Candidate Taft Speaks OF the
Necessity For Court
Reforms
MAN WITH THE LONGER
PURSE HAS ADVANTAGE

Nv limited Press Leased Special Wire.
HOT SPRINGS, Va, Aug. 6.-William
H Taft delivered an address before the
virginia Bar Association to-day on The
Laws Delays" In his address he said;
The chief reason why the state devotes
30 much time and effort in the administra-
ton of justice between individuals in pri-
vate litigation and between the state and
persons charged with crime in public hu-
CATION. is to promote the cause Of peace
and tranquility in the community. Speak
ing theoretically and abstractedly' OF
course. our aim is to secure equal and
exact Justice between individuals and be-
tween the state representing all persons
while we may properly felicitate our
selves on this widened function OF our
courts enabling US to establish peaceful
methods Of settling politico-legal ques-
tions. have we the right to say that our
present administration of justice gener-
allv gives popular satisfaction with its re-
sults7 / think not.
sThe present is a time when all our
institutions are being subjected to close
scrutiny with a view TO the determination
whether we have not now tried the in
stitutions upon which modern society
rests TO the points Of proving that some
of them should be radically changed. The
chief attack is on the institution Of pri-
vate property and is based upon the in
equallties in the distribution Of wealth
and of human happiness that are apparent
n our present system.
7iaht of Private Property.
"As 1 have occasion in other places to
say frequently, I believe that the insti-
tuition Of the private property next to that
Of personal liberty has had most to dc
with the uplifting and physical and moral
Improvement of the whole human race
but that it is not inconsistent with the
.ghts of private property to impose limi-
10 Ions upon its uses for unlawful pur-
11ses. and that this is the remedy fol
ieiornlsrather than the abolition of the in.
ution itself
Our present system, while not perfect
is not so far from proper results as cal
anxiety The judges of the country
ba-h state and national, on an average
arc good men. Venality in our judges il
.-ry rare. and while the standard o
judicial ability and learning may not b.
always as high as we should like to see it
the provision for review and for free anS
impartial hearing are such as generally
10 give just final judgments. The Unequal
fly that exists in our present administra
tion Of justice and sooner or later is Ger
tain to rise and trouble us and to can fo
popular condemnation and reform, is il
the unequal burden which the delays an,
expense of litigation under our system
imposes on the poor litigant.
I'm some communities know these de
lays have induced merchants and com
mercial men to avoid courts altogethe
and to settle their controversies by arbi
tration, and TO this extent the courts hav
been relieved; but such Board OF Arbl
tration are only possible between thos
fitigants that are members of the sam
commercial body and are in a sense as
sociates. They offer no relief TO the liti
CANT Of little means who finds himsel
engaged in controversy with a wealth.
opponentI 1t is inevitable that with an ella
crate code, the expense of a suit involving
small sum is in proportion far create
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