The log cabin Democrat., 1911-07-20
Editor Log Cabin Democrat:

opinions in the great Standard Oil
Tobacco cases the name of Supreme
Court Justice John Marshall Harlan
has become household word through
out the country.
The magazines and the newspapers
are being filled with sketches of this
militant and upright judge, still some
interesting and important character
istics of this great man have been
overlooked.
1t is a well known fact that Justice
Harlan has the appearance and man.
ner of the typical southern gentle
man of the old school, but only those
who come in daily contact with him
are in position to know to what ex-
tent he actually is what he appears
to be; it is also generally known that
he is Democratic rather than aristo-
cratic in his views, but only those
who know him personally can appre-
ciate to what extent he lives among
anu Win the people.
Justice Harlan is hailed every
where as "the great dissenter" of the
supreme court, but his attitude to-
wards his own opinion and his defer
ence to the will of the majority does
not seem to be fully appreciated.
One of the best evidences of Justice
Harlan's democracy is evidenced by
the fact that he is so often seen rid
ing on the street cars, therefore, I'M
like his associates on the bench, he is
Familiarity and popularity known by
his neighbors here in Washington.
When he sees lady strap-hanger
he never fails not only to offer her his
seat, but insists over her protests, on
the acceptance of his offer. And no
greater offense can lady give than
this than that she decline to accept
the proffered seat out of respect for
his age; for ladies he would say,
docs not three-quarters of century
smilingly look down upon and attest
the alacrity and optimism of my sec
ond YOUTH"
Only last year when he had return
ed from his usual vacation in Canada
he was the picture of health, despite
the false report to the contrary. AS
he stood before his class in the George
Washington University, his face
beaming with health and optimism he
smilingly said: "Do look like sick
man? l am before you to answer to
those false reports"
Justice Harlan is not only a dis
senter on the bench. He takes keen
interest in social and religious ques-
tons. A few weeks ago he made
Washington society furious because,
in a banquet speech, he was bold
enough to call society folks to task for
Decorating the Sabbath with after
noon teas and card parties. Justice
Harlan registered an emphatic pro-
test which caused a furore in Wash
ington society circles, the like of
which is seldom seen or heard here.
AS lecturer on constitutional law,
Justice Harlan seeks to be and is pop
ular with the student body. The be-
ginning and end of each lecture is
marked with enthusiastic applause,
and his lectures are punctured
throughout with outbursts of ap-
plause and rounds of laughter inspir-
ed by an epigrammatic sentence, bit
of humor, or by playful reference to
one of his dissenting opinions.
Justice Harlan is rightfully entitled
to the honor of being called "the great
dissenter," for law students, especial
ly those whose privilege it was to
have been in his class, are quite force
fully reminded of the fact that he is
usually on the minority side of cases,
and many many times he has been the
minority itself.
He is careful, however, to refer to
the majority opinion of the court as
the law in the case. He believes in
bowling to the will of the majority.
That to him is law, and he very grace
fully accepts their decision as the law
of the land. He is ever optimistic and
never thinks it calamity because the
majority did not see the law as he did.
In the recent Standard Oil and the
! Tobacco trust cases Justice Harlan
delivered his dissenting opinions in
his usual forceful manner, and back
of his decision was deep and sincere
conviction. But if he were to stand
bafora h;c law class again this fall