Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-08-07

for the purpose of counteracting the
influence of the Cleveland horseshoe.
AS the president may not care to
part with that lucky rabbits foot
one of part of a rabbit shot on the
seventh hour of the seventh day OF
the seventh month of the year at fun
moon in country churehyard by a
colored clergyman, desiring it, maybe
to carry it with him to the jungcs
lof Africa, | herewith present you
with a foot from the same rabbit
mounted with the luckiest gold from
Alaska"
In his address to the Bar associa-
tion, Judge Taft presented his sub
ject by stating that the end sought in
the administration of justice was to.
promote tranquility and contentment
among the people. He expressed al
doubt that our present administration
of justice insured general popular
lar satisfaction with its results.
! There are" he said, "aboundant
evidences that the prosecutions of
| criminals have not been certain and
! thorough to the point of preventing
popular protest The existence of
| lynching in all parts of the country
| is directly traceable to this lack of
uniformity and thoroughness in thel
! enforcement of our criminal laws.
The inequality that exists in our
present administration of justice and
that sooner or later is certain to rise
and trouble us, ard to call for popu-
lar condemnation and reform, is in
the unequal burden which the delays |
and expense of litigation under our
system imposes on the poor litigant' |
One remedy, Mr.. Taft said, must be |
reform in our judicial procedure, |
which is now too cumbersome An
other would be more expedition on
the part of judges in rendering their |
opinion. Delay, he said, always work. /
ed to the detriment of the poor and !
the benefit of the wealthy litgant. As
to appeals, Mr. Taft believes the
court of first instance and the inter I
mediate appellate courts should be for
the purpose of finally disposing in a
just and prompt way of contentious
between litigants. The appellant ju-
risdiction of the court of last resorts
should be limited to those cases which
are typical and which give to it in
its judgment an opportunity to cover
the whole field of the law
Il believe that a great reform might
be effected certainly in the federal
courts, and | think, too, in the state
courts, by a mandatory reduction of
the court costs and fees The salaries
of the court officers should be fixed |
and should be paid out of the treas
ufy of the country, state or national
government as the ease may be, ana
fees should be reduced to as low a
figure as possible.
Il thipk another step in the direc-
ton of the despatch of litigation
would be the requirement of higher
for these Judges who sit
on the cases involving a small pecu-
mary amount.
Another method by which their ir-
Litation at the inequality in our ad-
may be reduced is by the
of a system for the set
ling of damage suits brought by em-
Dloyes against public service corpora
ions through official arbitration and
without resort to jury trials. Such
system is working in England SO
nm informed, and was successfully in
iugurated in Massachusetts, No one
AN have sat on the federal bench for
light or nine years and not realize
low defective the administration Of
Justice in these cases must have seem
I'd to the defeated plaintiff, whether
le was the legless or armlcss cmplove
himself, or his personal representa-
i've"
As to the jury system Mr., Taft said: p
we cannot of course dispense with t
he jury system 1t is that which
makes the people part Of the ad-
of justice but every
means by which in civil cases litigants
nay be induced voluntarily to avoid
he expense, delay and burden of jury
rials, ought to be encouraged, for I'm
his way the general administration II
# justice can be greatly facilitated
nd the expense incident to delay in 4
litigation can be greatly reduced" A
Mr.. Taft closed with a tribute to oI
he legal profession and cautioned in
hat conservatism ought not to be al q
owed to prevent reforms which are in
n the interest of equalzing the ad- al
of justice as far as pos ri
ible between the poor and the rich ii
At the Bar association banquet, in | on
to the toast. THE Prcsi- cc
ent of the United States" Mr. Taft 81
aid it might be appropriate for him
} respond to the toast cc
Not because of any relation | bear r,
, that office, but because | was sum E
loned to the White House when the A
lvitation was extended and directed tn
laughter) to come here, do what
luld. if need be use the big stick to pr
phold the administration" Laugh- M
~
Joking aside. Mr.. Taft called atteu- sii
on to the difficulty of discussing ia
zen the office of the president with m
1t trespassing on some issue in the ril
1litical campaign. He pictured the di
eat expansion of interstate COM co
ercc to show that its proportion TO do
'mmerce within the states had been to