The Washington herald., 1909-04-25
b JAMEs B. MoRRoW.


Dickinson. now Secretary OF War in Mr..
Taft's Cabinet. told a characteristic little
story fun Of human nature and the fra
GRANGE OF meadows and woods
The speech, which continued during FIVE
days. closed the case of the United States.
Eminent American and British lawyers
had addressed The court Judge Dickin-
son desired, with grace and touch Of
national humor. strictly TO observe the
etiquette of the historic occasion with
happily turned phrases Of compliment for
his judges. his colleagues. and his sdver-
sarles.
so far from feeling any sense Of con
fdence.'' he said. at the close OF a classi-
cal sllusion. in which there was a shrewd
and scholarly mixture Of English and
Latin. 4 am in a position 10 very deep
j sympathize with the Confedera te
soldier who when the battle line was
sweeping forward in the last fearful
charge AZ ChiCkamauga. and a rabbit
Jumped Up and ran through 20 the rear.
cried out Run. cottOn-tail; If I did not
have any more character az stake than
you have I would run. too
TIE argument throughout was geo
graphical and legal. including as II did a
technical explanation Of ancient maps
and surveys. and the definition OF am
bigucus words when clumsily written into
Old narratives and treaties. but here and
there. as IN ths story OF the Coufeder-
Ste soldier and the rabbit. Il revealed
the Nit and common sense Of Judge Dick
ins0n, which. with his learning his apti-
tUle and his comprehension have made
him one of the greatest lawyers in the
world Suddenly hating his stupendous
uarcl. one morning. through a wilder
resz of dry logic and dreary fact con-
cerning boundary lines. he remarked:
The attorney general said America
had accomplished miracle He said We
had abolished The mountains altogether.
We have the authority Of the Psalmist
f0r saving that The mountains skipped
Ike rams. and the little hills Ike lambs,
md that Si-Ion and Lebanon leaPed Ike
= ye-rg unicorn.
Nearly every controversy in the law
books calling for construction or interpre-
taJi0u. % Judge Dickinson observed AT an
oJhe. time, Is simply because people do
not anticipate and do not write documents
properly remember that on one occa-
sion 7 submitted paper 70 a lawyer in
whose office I was. lie said: I do not
think this IS quite clear.
Why I said. This means s0-a HG-sO.'
on. YES. I understand II and you IN
cerstand IT, but that IS not the way for
YOU % draft T. You must write T so that
10 fool can misunderstood Il.
TIE court. ComDosed Or three Americans
and three Englishmen- required four
votes for a decision TIE Tinted States
won its case. Baron AlverstOne. the lord
chief justice of England. voting with
EIiEu Root Henry Cabot Lodge and
George Turner, the commissioners from
this county. and also openly saving TO
Judge Dickinson. az the close
1T has been my privilege 10 listen now
20 several Of the great leaders Of the
American bar. and 7 con assure YOU that
your argument vii net suffer by com
paris0n with those that preceSed y0u.
either OF trjs or any other arbitration"
Who designated YOU 70 act as leading
counsel IN the case2-- asked Judge Dick
i7so7.
President Roosevelt" he replied.
Were You personally acquainted with
him al the time7
The year before 1902. 7 vas a member
of his party when he hunted bears in
the canebrakes Of Mississippi We lived
IN the same tent
But YOU killed no bears
The newspapers reported that the hunt
Uas total failure, Judge Dickinson
answered On the contrary. the natives
who accompanied rs got three bears and
deer. II was understood. Of course.
bv those OF rs Who formed SIr- ROose-
veit's immediate party. that We we're 20
hold our fire until after he had killed
the first bear His eyes are bad. The
underhrush was tail and thick. and ncne
OF us could see any too well The natives.
not realizing the unusual proprieties OF
the hunt. hit the trail with considerable
energy. and ten miles from the camp.
through the gloom and obstructions OF
the CanebrakeS. proceeded 20 do business
IN their Ovn way The rest o. us, how
ever. waited on the President IN few
DAYS We went home"
When 7 entered his Office. Secretary
Dickinson was standing Up He is six
feet enc inch in height. weighs 30 pounds
and measures more around the shoulders
shan around the hips Physically. Re
locks Ike q farmer who still pitches hay
ard can briskly ride 20 town on horse
back His hair is dark brown. his larE-
eyes are gray. and his mustache IS as red
as q squirrels tail There Is tan on his
face and his nose is large and rather
long. But the one feature that dominates
all the rest is the massive chin. cleft
IN the center and aggressively standing
forward with the strength and menace Of
the steel ram on a shiD OF war. Power
Is seen in every curve and line OF the
body countenance. and head.
You are trained down like an athlete
said What form Of exercise do YOU
take2~
While living IN Chicago. 7 walked
every dsy and went fishing and shoot
irg whenever could
What do YOU huut2T
Quail. mostly. nowadays. As a boy. 7
spent q good deal Of time IN hunting
foxes My father gave me negro lad
named Harper for 2 body servant. and
all that hs ever did was 10 dig bait.
clean my guns black my boots. and go
along with mo into the fields and woods. :
Admiral Evans. I said told me that
his youthful negro servant taught him
20 smoke and chew tobacco.
Ny boy had no vices. 50 far as 7 re-
member" Secretary Dickinson answered.
''buf the blooGiest fight ever had was
on his account One OF my acouaint-
Rnces. and a friend he was. too called
him a liar. Harper couldn't fight a white
hoy, and 50 I fought in his stead. Oddly
enough the daughter OF that very boy
called 10 see ne the other day. After she
was gone, ] got letter from Harper.
who is row living in S.. Louis. lie ad-
dressed ne IS Jacob McDix0n,-time hav-
ing confused his memory as 10 names
hoped I hsd not forgotten him. c0ngrat-
ulated me on my appointment TO be Sec
resary OF War and subscribed himself.
Harper Bass Dixon. your old servant
At the close Of my interview with Judge
Dickinson I asked his private secretary
10 show me q copy Of the reply sent 20
the negro IN St Louis The letter Of
the former master Of his former slave
had all the familiarity Of a once happy