The San Francisco call., 1908-07-21
TAFT APPROVES
CRITICISM OF
COURTS ACTS
Says Strength of Judiciary
Rests Upon People Shar-
ing Responsibility
Candidate for Presidency Re-
grets That He Ever Left
the Bench
DediCates Courthouse and Is
Given Cordial Welcome
by Virginians

Judge TAFT today assisted in the OPEN
ing of court and in the dedication of
a courthouse at Germantown, Va, FIVE
miles from Hot Springs. Judge Taft
accepted the invitation to be present
at this ceremony on the ground that it
was a neighborly affair. The subject
of his speech was the administration
of justice by the courts. He was
greeted by large gathering at neigh
boring towns and by country folk,
many of whom travelled far to see and
hear the republican candidate for the
presidency. He was given a cordial
welcome.
The strength of the judiciary, he de-
clared, was based on the fact that it
rested upon the principle that the peo-
pie share the responsibility for the
work of the courts, in the form of duty
on juries and in other capacities.
He justified proper criticism of the
courts by the people because by such
criticisms those who administer JUS
tice shall feel that they are under the
critical eye of men and women entitled
to have justice of the people admin
istered without fear or favor"
REGRETS LEAVING BENCH
He could not come into the atmos-
phere of the court. he said, without
a feeling of deep regret that he had
ever left the bench. He concluded his
remarks by congratulating Bath county
upon the fact that in it two political
parties are nearly equally divided,
which, he said, was a guaranty against
evils in the administration of the gov
ernment
Judge Taft was heartily applauded
when he opened his address and was
frequently interrupted by applause.
Mrs. Taft accompanied her husband
to the courthouse, which was reached
after a drive over splendid mountain
roads.
Judge Taft was presented to the as
semblage by ]. A. Rivercombe a MEM
Der of the board of supervisors of the
county, Judge George K. Anderson,
the presiding Judge being present. In
presenting the visitor Rivercombe re-
fer'red to him as the most distin
guished gentleman in the United
States" He spoke of his wide and
varied experiences in public life, and
I in concluding said: Il take pleasure in
introducing to you the next president
of the United States"
After alluding to the dedication of the
courthouse Judge Taft said:
This scene today, to anyone who
looks at it in a comparison with other
countries, suggests the blessing of a
free government. Those who have had
any experience with other countries
will realize that in many of them a
government means to the people an en-
tity different from themselves, some
thing in a sense antagonistic to them.
1t has a different personality and the
feeling with respect to it generally
among the people is that the govern
ment has the power and must look aft
er itself In such countries among the
people there is an absence of a sense
of responsibility as TO what is done
by the government, absence of a de-
sire to help the government. because
| they are not part of it such as We
have here today. Such sense of re-
sponsibility, such desire to help gov
ernment, is illustrated in every meet
ing of this kind the country over
| They come from the belief that we,
the people, are the government and
in courts of justice it is increased by
the fact that the people take part in
the administration of justice, that they
are called upon by the jury, that they
are part of the tribunal that decides
the issue of fact in courts of law. AS
long as the people feel that these are
their courts, that this Is their Justice
| that when it goes wrong, when 1t re-
suits in injustice, they ought to be
ashamed for 1T and they are responsible
| for 1t, we can count on a continuance
of free government.
CRITICISM is JUST
The administration of justice In the
country perhaps better illustrates what
| I have said, and the people of il than
even of the city because if you under
stand the practice, it is for all the
country people to gather about on court
days to watch the proceedings to learn
I the law as 1T is dealt from the bench
/ to take an interest in the issues as
fthey are presented to the jury of their
neighbors, to criticise, as they have the
right to in a proper way, the rulings
/ of the court or the verdict of the jury
| so that those who are administering
justice shall feel that they are under
the critical eye of men-and, 1 may
say, of women-entitled to have the
justice of the people administered with
out fear or favor
Il can not come into the atmosphere
of courtroom without a feeling of
| deep regret that l ever left it, for I
was IL years on the bench. / can not
refrain, in the presence of members of
/ this bar and of the distinguished Judge
who presides over it, from comment
ing on what to me and, doubtless, to
Judge Anderson has been, except for
the family relations and that of the
| most intimate friendship the sweetest
1 oiehNACh tAiSNS iAd'S CNSA experienced
in life; that between the Judge on the
| bench, whose character, whose impair
| tiality, all the members of the bar
recognize on the one hand, and the
members of the bar, whose sincere as
sistance in the administration of JUS
/ tice, whose desire to have a square
| deal all around is recognized by the
| court Each member of the bar feels
| that he will get a hearing and that
the judge will decide as tho case re-
| quires, and that, no matter how he de-
cides, the relation of close friendship.
of the mutual respect and cooperation
in the administration of justice will al
ways remain as cement bonds, than
which there are few deareE