The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-05

ST Louis. May 4-President Taft de-
nounced the demagogues. the preachers
Of cant. and those who see only evil and
delay in the courts OF the nation he-s
today IN "a speech al a luncheon given
in his honor by. the Business Mems
League, at the Southern Hotel.
The President spoke with an earnest
ness and with such emphasis that his
audience was quite carried away. His
defense Of the Supreme Court and os his
own appointments 10 that court was de-
livered in tones that rang with emotion.
During most OF the speech the President
Eesucuiated little. but his face grew red
as he recited the tale Of criticism thar
has. in some parts Of the nation. greeted
his selections 10 the great tribunal All
the way through the speech his hearers
broke in with prolonged applause. and. AZ
the end. when Mr.. Taft wound Up with a
brief discourse on baseball. the crowd
beat the tables and cheered loudly.
The President had not intended % make
a serious address at all. but when Presi-
dent Wilson, Of the league, referred to the
appointment OF Judge Horace Lurton and
Gov. Hughes 20 the Supreme Court, Mr..
Taft found a subject that warranted the
use Of more than the ten minutes he ex-
pected to take
Reference to Insurgents.
While the Presidents only reference To
the insurgents was in one OF the mo-
ments when he smiled. it is evident that
he had in mind the utterances from his
enemies" in the Senate and House
against his two Supreme Court selections.
Not only did he defend the Supreme
Court. but he declared. too. that the con-
tentiOn that the ability Of the poor man
to take mis- case, even If It involves but
So, UP 20 that tribunal is the windy talk
Of the demagOgUe and politician against
the Avs delay. The President was fat
foo1ed in his assertion that court pro-
ceLure must be changed TO expedite tho
business of litiEants
Mr.. Tafts speech in full IS Is follows:
Your president said 20 me: I will be
just about one minute. and I hope you
Will be just about two but he has
opened a subject that makes me think
perhaps I can hII more minutes than two.
1t IS a subject 1 like 10 dwell upon This
is a government Of the people. by the
people. and for the people The Consti-
tuition of the United States was made
by the people Of the United States, and
We have a popular and a representative
government, but the people who framed
the Constitution realized that in order
TO secure the best government they must
impose limitations upon themselves, so
that the result OF the. views Of the ma
jority should he embodied in law and IN
national policies through certain instrus
mentalites that would impose obstruc-
tions 10 sudden emotional movements OF
the people that were not taken with the
deliberation necessary TO secure wisdom.
and that ought 20 be delayed and held
up until they could pass under the OBJ
servatiOn not only Of Philip drunk, but
Of Philip sober.
Power Is Divided.
And so it was that in the division OF
power they created legislative branch.
an executive branch, and a judicial
branch, and In that Constitution they gave
10 the Supreme Court ana the subordinate
tribunals 20 be established by Congress
certain powers which interpreted by Mar
shall and those who followed him make
that court unique in the tribunals OF the
world. The court was constituted to pre-
serve the rights Of the people and the
rights Of the individuals against the peo-
pie themselves. whenever iE the heat OF
emotion or temporary alteration they en-
acted measures that deprived the indi-
vidual of his just rights under the Con-
stituuon. Hence II is that TO me. a law
yer, the Supreme Court of the United
States is the most sacred thing that we
have in this government, and the appoint
ment Of men to that bench is the highest
and most sacred function that the Execu-
tive has to perform.
Il am not exalting the judiciary above