Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-06
Justice Wright's Theme at
Baltimore Banquet.
FOUNDATION OF LIBERTY
Tells Bankers Association Members
That Contempt for Tribunals Is a
Menace to the Republic.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
BALTIMORE. Md. March 5.-Nearly
score of bankers and others from Wash
ington attended the eighth annual BAN
quet of Baltimore Chapter, American In
stitute of Banking. which was held to-
night at the Hotel Belvedere. sOne of
the principal speakers was Daniel Thew
Wright. one of the justices of the Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia
Gov. Crothers. Mayor Mahool and Sena-
tor Charles James Hughes of Colorado
and Representative J. c. Diekema Of
Michigan also made addresses.
The annual banquet of the local Chap
ter is one of the most popular functions
of Baltimore bankers. and there was
large gathering about the banquet table
tonight. Lawrence Sharlxy, the noted
Irish wit of Philadelphia; William G..
Horn, baritone. and Felix McNally, tenor.
contributed to the entertainment feature
of the program.
mo more graceful and no more CRATE
full compliment can be extended to me,
stranger said Justice Wright. than to
be hidden from distance to take place
with YOU and at your side to eat your
bread at table.
at is to prove to you my valuation Of
your compliment, rather than to indulge
myself in the hazardous venture of pub
lie speaking. that am come here. / have
some time suspected that knowing how
to he a public speaker was perhaps out
of my line, and 1 have recently received
the somewhat vigorous assurance that
knowing how to be a judge is also out
of my line.
"A Judge recently came over from Vir-
ginia into Washington to be witness;
he was asked to state his occupation.
He said, am judge now; until l got
to be judge / was lawyer.
THE eminent banker who conveyed
to me your invitation had nervous
manner; he said to me, Judge. say
something about integrity l don't
is. / hope he is here: If he can get
dollar away from that master of finance
[ want to shake hands with him
bankers don't admit it. I'm banker
enough to know that there is more
need tol talk integrity to the people
outside of banks than to the people in
tegrity It may exalt his own soul. but
it don't prove anything. When the
conductor overlooks bis fare, does he
hold up the ticket?
it's too far; they don't feel the heat.
when a man stays honest it's be-
cause when he goes to bed nights ne
is ashamed to sleep with thief:
What power is it, what arm of gov
eminent, which maintains the supremacy
of law. 1t is that branch which con-
fines the hand Of power within the rule
and which arrests and calls to retrfbu-
ton the hand which has proceeded out
side the rule-the judicial power.
The Supremacy Of the Law.
while the proper importance Of
| neither the executive nor the legislative
department is TO be underestimated or
forgotten, yet In the especial function
of maintaining the equality Of persons
and OF rights. in maintaining alike the
| rights of not only the mighty but of
/ the lowly as well, without respect to
| persons, and In SO doing maintaining the
supremacy Of law over an other power
| whether great or small. the importance
/ of the judicial tribunals Of the land as
not only vital. but foremost unparalleled
/ and supreme.
| ''If the masses are to be expected to
| continue so to respect and reverence the
supremacy of law thew cannot be taught
/ disrespect and frreverence for the trtbu-
! nails which maintain the supremacy OF
I law; disrespect for the one is contempt
/ for the other. I do not speak or think
of judges; they have too long been taking
4 care of others not to be able to take
care of themselves: ! speak only OF the
| judicial tribunals. the courts.
THE concern which you and ever,
| other citizen must face. whether or no.
i you feel 1t. is this: that whatever tend!
to create a disposition in the public mint
to put aside respect for courts, to b
done with reverence for judicial tribunals
/ is dangerous for you, in that it is q men
ace against the life of the great repub
| lie, a shaft which assails its most vita
and most vulnerable spot and had better
be unsaid.
Contemplate the majesty of judicia
| functions: to measure Justice without re
spect to persons, the rich and the pool
alike: that no man, however humble
shall be overborne by the weight or mum
Der of his adversaries; to preserve It fol
the lowIy, to impose 1t upon the great; t
/ save 1t to the weak, by requiring 1t from
the mighty: one man against a million
| or million against one man, 1t Is thu
I! same. Such are judicial functions, q.
| which none so sacred and majestic car
| come into the discharge Of the creature.
Of God. Are they to be held holy. pre-
served. retained?
| "'Sirs. I'd rather be q toad and festel
in the vapors Of dungeon than yield ont
corner in that thing / love to other uses