The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-29
New Supreme Court Justice Is
Given a Send Off.
Guest of Honor at Shawnee Bar
Banquet.
TOASTMASTER
Dean of Kansas Bar PresideS
With Usual Success.
Chief Justice Johnston, Judge
Pollock and Others Speak.

uon neld at the GlkS club in honor OF
the justices and judges of the supreme.
federal and district courts and J. S.
West, member elect of the supreme
bench. 1t was the largest banquet ever
held by the Shawnee county attorneys
and was the first gathering of the as
ISOLATION in six years when the mem
bers were not called together to pass
resolutions for a dead brother. From
the standpoint of promoting harmony
and good fellowship among members,
the banquet served its purpose.
Capt. ]. G. Waters, president of the
association, served as POSTMASTER and
early in the evening convinced his
brother lawyers that he is in good
training for the meeting of the Kan
sas colony in Chicago next month.
Waters put the banqueters in good
humor when he said the 1910 gather
ing was the first time in the history
of the world that 100 lawyers had
gathered in one body without liquor on
the inside or outside and could not get
II if they wanted He kept things NOV
ing and in the three hours of speech
making not person left his seat
One feature of the speeches that
might bring surprise to the minds of
outsiders was the earnest plead of
judges and lawyers for members #
the bar to be honest in the trial of
their cases and their statements to the
courts. Judge Pollock especially dwelt
on the importance of lawyer keeping
the confidence of the court, which
would be lost once the court was mis-
led by the misstatement of a case.
Tribute was paid Judge J. S. West.
the new member of the supreme bench
and it was largely in honor of the new
member that the banquet was held at
this time.
CHIEF Justice Johnston Speaks.
w. A. Johnston, chief justice of the
supreme court, responded to the toast
The Supreme Court of Kansas . He
said in part:
THE court has reached its half cen
fury mark and has had fair share in
the building of a great state, and the
judges have had a share in shaping
this framework and establishing juris-
prudence. This is a day of criticism
of courts and an open season on
judges. While it is true the courts can
improve and make the paths of justice
more free of discrimination, yet this
attack is un-American and unpatriotic.
The courts are progressive and keep
abreast with the times. The cry
against the integrity of the courts is
false cry and the courts administer
laws as justly as when Blackstone
gave the laws their high standard.
The general application of the courts
brings justice and preserves the life
and honor of the people. Vice is
condemned, virtue approved, false
legislation restrained. and fundamen-
tai law upheld. The bar of the state
the bar of Shawnee county has play
ed we'll its part
Speaking of the election of Judge
West to supreme bench, Judge John
ston said: I'm the last election the peo-
pie of Kansas turned to Shawnee coun-
ty when it wanted timber for new
judge-and it was a good place to go.
They picked out an upright, downright
good man when they chose Judge West
to succeed Judge Graves who in every
capacity has served the people with
honor"
Judge Vests speech from the stand
point of The New Member" was short,
as he explained he could tell more
about the job after he had spent
few months in the harness. He upheld
the dignity of the courts and defended
the action of federal courts. although
two constitutions had frequently caus-
ed the state and federal judges to run
amuck. He expressed his appreciation
of the honor shown him by the mem bers
of the Shawnee county bar.
Dana Talks of District Court.
When he responded to the toast, MY
Job" Judge A. w. Dana said when he
took the oath as district judge. he was
told he had a hard place to fill and a
hard man to follow. He said he found
both of these statements were true
Judge Dana then told of the work of
the Shawnee county court. He said
from $50 to 500 trialable cases were dis
posed of each year, which was a great
deal heavier than the work of any of
she surrounding districts. He said court
conditions had changed greatly in Is
years. Men who u few years ago were
compelled to abandon their cause for
lack of funds when the cases were call
ed for trial. now had the WhereWithal
to combat their cases and pay attor-
neyS fees. He said the work in the
Shawnee county court had been increas-
ed by the attorney generals suits
against the big corporations with offices
IN Topeka and cited the harvester
cases. the insurance and lumber cases;
time than a dozen ordinary actions. lie
paid tribute to the high character of
the County Bar association and ex-
pressed appreciation of the cordial feel
Ing that existed between the bench and
bar.
Two things have done much for the
uplift of the bar" declared Judge Dana
zone of these is the creation of a COM
mission for the examination of would
be lawyers and the other is the estab-
ushment of Washburn law school in this
town.
Shawnee Needs Two Judges-Hazen.
H. T. Hazen, former judge of the
Shawne county district court, told of
the early history of the practice in the
district from territorial days until the
present administration. He told of the
high standard many of the trial law
yers of other days had given the bar
in this county and paid respect to their
memory. Speaking of the charges that
the courts were corrupt and frequent
" bought, Hazen said that but once in
the 10 years he was on the bench was
he approached by litigant.
There was SIS involved in that suit
said the ex-judge, land 1 don't know
now whether the man won or lost his
case"
Judge Hazen said Shawnee county did
not need two district courts. as was
claimed by many people, but that in
stead of two courts it needed two
judges; one of whom could handle the
jury trials while the other listened to
arguments and motions and disposed
Of court cases
After Judge Hazen's speech. Toast