The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-09-18


II the supreme court, Mr.. Harlan. DO
II my critics take the position that the
II people shall not be able to control
N the activities AMI management OF
H these great monopolst corporations
H doing an Interstate business? Ii SO,
Il let them frankly avow their position.
II The other case mentioned was one
\ prohibiting New York state to regu-
\ late hours OF work in bake shops, and
| again the speaker said he had based
| his criticism on a dissenting opinion
within the court itself.
Lincoln Did It.
"Fifty-three years ago he con-
tinued, Abraham Lincoln was assail'
ed for his repeated criticisms Of the
supreme court in the bred Scott case.
Az regards this case, he an
nounced, not once, but again and
again, that he held II to be not mere
W the right, but the duty, OF citizens
who felt that judicial decisions were
erroneous and damaging, Loyalty to
sabide by the decisions as long as they
stood, but to try hard to secure their
reversal, his language on one occasion
being as follows:
eve do not propose to disturb the
rights of property thus settled. We
propose so resisting the decision as to
have it reversed if we can, and new
judicial rule established upon the
subject
"He repeated this statement in
slightly differing language in speech
after speech. Moreover, he used very
strong language about the decision
far stronger than | dream OF using or
than II would be proper to use about
the decisions with which I now deal
But his view as to his right and duty
to call attention to an erroneous de
dsion which vitality affected the
rights of the people was, | think
entirely sound. AT any rate If have
erred in commenting as | have com
mented upon the decision in question,
err in company with Abraham Lin
coin The criticism of me is per
haps we'll summed up in the following
speech of an eminent public man:
"He makes war on the decisions Of
a The supreme court, wish to say tC
[ YOU. fellow citizens that | have nt
war 10 make on that decision or any
other ever rendered by the supreme
court. | am content to take that de
clsion as it stands delivered by the
highest judicial tribunal on earth,
tribunal established by the Consti1G
ton of the United States for thai
purpose, and hence that decision be
becomes the law of the land, binding
ON YOU. on me and on every other good
citizen whether we like it or not
Hence do not choose to go into al
argument to pvove, before this aud
fence whether or not he (the chic
iustice) understood the law bette
than Theodore Roosevelt
Now. gentlemen, have made on
change in the above quotation. TIL
last words we're not Theodore Roose
Welt, the last words were Abraham
Lincoln, and this attack made nearl
IA wears ago against Abe Lincoln !,
precisely and exactly the kind OF al
tack made upon me at the moment
Abe Lincoln felt and professe
throughout his life the same profoun
respect for the supreme court that O
course | feel, and that | have agai
and again in public speech and mes
sages, as president of the Unite
states, expressed. An upright Judge /
higher and better public servan
than any other man can possibly bt
ana II is a cause of pride to ever
American citizen that our suprem
court is the most influential iudicif
tribunal in the entire world. | hav
ouote,l Abraham Lincoln. Let m
quote him again.
1--WE believe in obedience to an
respect for the judicial department
government. We think its decision
on constitutional questions when full
settled should control
az agree absolutely with this sci
fence of Abraham Lincoln not the les
because also believe in what Lii
coin said Immediately afterwards:
but we think this decision e
roneous, and we shall do what "
can to have 1t overruled.'
Other Preceoents.
'Nor do have to 60 only to II
statement of the past for precedent
The president Of the United State
Mr.. Taft, has served his country no
orably and uprightly in many pos
tions, as Judge, as governor OF u
philippines, as secretary Of war al
now as president--for him and q
congress setting with him we owe Il
erection of tariff commission, Il
adoption of maximum and minimu
thrift law treaties with foreign po
ers. the proper treatment OF the Pm
ippines under the tariff, the increa
IN the efficiency Of the intersta
commerce law, the beginning OF r
tional legislative program providil
for the exercise of the taxing pow
IN connection with corporations doll