The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-08-31

standing room was at a premium. About the front of the rostrum was draped a large American flag and a huge bouquet of flowers adorned either end. upon the rostrum were seated President Lip- by and Senator Frazier.
 Senator Frazier spoke in behalf or the lawyers of Chattanooga and Tenhessee' and the people of the entire south, all of whom he said. would extend the warmest hospitality to the visitors.
 Annual Address
 President Libby read his annual ao- dress from manuscript.
 President Libby believed that the law must have back of it complete knowi- edge by the individual member This he thought, however, sounded improb' able to our modern political philoso- pher.
 The address of the president was lengthy and covered most of the salient points of later day questions. He dis cused every phase or government ana several times took occasion to Hoerally criticise the methods of both President Taft and Colonel Roosevelt in their 1n- depreciation of the law5 and forms of government. Each sally at them brought applause from the audience.
 One of the features of the presidents address was when he declared that the people of America could and were not afraid to govern themselves If the great statesmen of the day make mistakes the people will help tv correct them. He believed in the election of United States senators by the direct vote of the peo- ple He thought rapidly changing condi- tions would eventually demand a change In the federal constitution whereby all great offices would be filled by popular vote This, however, he thought would overthrow the methods of government as earlier advocated by the framers of the federal constitution.
 Wisdom In Ballot Box
 But" he said, q am not afraid to trust to the American people upon any subject embracing the principles of gov ernment There is more wisdom In the ballot box than in deiberative assembly, He believed in the words of the great Webster. who declared he believed in "an indestructible union composed of in destructible states"
 President Libby discussed at length the demands of the nationalism and Its probable effect upon the political, social and econmoic institutions. He opposed the adoption of the proposed income tax upon the grounds that it would restrict the power of the states and would result in burdening the citizens of a few com mercial states.
 The president paid his respects to the initiative and referendum act, the ef- feet of carelessly governed immig ration and apparent reliance of the politician upon the voice of multitudes and im- pulses.
 International Law
 The report of the committee on interna- tional law mention the summary execu- ton of the Americans, Cannon and Groce, in Nicaragua last November. The court martial and death of these foreigners, the report says who seem to have been regu- larly commissioned by Estrada, ana 10 have complied with the rules of clviiizeo warfare, were deemed acts Of inhuman- ity and also to betoken a national animos- ity which the United States was justineo in resentlng.
 The committee on commercial law re- ported it's conviction that the natonai Bankruptcy act is wise measure. IL recommended every effort to prevent the repeal of this act. The committee re- ported it had requested suggestions rom prominent business men, and that one such suggestion was for the enactment or a federal law making exemption unoer the bankruptcy law uniform throughout inc United States. The existing law pre- serves the several state laws with their various interpretations or exemptlon' making it difficult for credit men to com- pute basis for credit.
 To mitigate the laws delays the spe- cial committee to suggest remeoles ana formulate proposed laws to prevent ae- lay and unnecessary cost Tn ntlsa.ioh urged that influence be brought 10 pear to secure the passage of the followlng leg islation which is already before Con gress
 Questions of Law
 .1 That issues of fact may be found snecially by a jury, reservng the de- cision of questions of law for subsequent consideration by the trial judge or by the appellate court, with power to order nnai Judgment upon the law held applicable to the facts by the jury.
 "2 That judgment shall be rendered. upon the merits without regard to the technical errors that do not affect the merits"
 This committee also declared that the rules in admiralty in many districts are sources of delay and unnecessary ex- nense to litigants. Objection was maoe to rules requiring the testimony or an witnesses to be reduced to writing, ana m some districts to be printed, perore IL can be considered. .,
 The committee on law reporting and d. costing declared that 'There can be no question but that the bulk of our reported decisions Is becoming intolerably large v It was suggested that the bar insist that decisions of no effect in the elucidation or development of law should not De re- norted The committee also said that there is need for digest giving compre- hensiye statement in logical order or the whole body of law as it exists in the United States today.
 The convention decided to adopt an m srrance law only for the District of Co., lumbia.
 A proposition was offered for the con- sideration of the committee on commercial law providing for limiting the liabilities of a corporation on stock certincates where the certificates had been lost or uad