Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-19
Influence of the American Bar
Praised.
MAKES FOR CONSERVATISM
Attorney General Wickersham Ad-
dresses New York Lawyers.
DINNER TO JUSTICE HUGHES
Bench Lauded as the Greatest Pro-
lection Of the Individual From
the Tyranny Of the Crowd.

NEW YORK. February 1s.-Speakins to
the toast THE Bar and the Nation" At
torney General Wickersham at the dinner
rendered to Justice Hughes by the New
York County Lawyers Association to-
night at tho Hotel Aston, declared that
the bar of the nation is doing more for
the cause OF peace than can be accom-
plished by many times Andrew Car
negies ten-million-dolar endowment to
promote International peace. He said:
"A few weeks ago one or our pnllan-
thropists announced q gift Of $1O.OOO,OOO
10 promote the cause of peace among
nations and a number Of distinguished
gentlemen selected for the purpose by the
donor have petitioned the Congress to
grant them a charter Of Incorporation to
enable them to take and administer that
sum to carry out the most laudable pur-
pose of the giver. In my opinion, the bar
of this nation has done and Is doing more
for the cause of peace than can be &C
complisned by many times the munlficent
endowment referred to.
Tribute of James Bryce.
The Constitution OF the United States
was largely the work Of lawyers" MT.
Wickersham declared, and as tribute
10 the bar he quoted these words OF
James Bryce. British ambassador to the
United States, in THE American Com
monwealth."
Tine Keen interest which the profess
SION takes in the law secures a large num-
her of acute and competent critics OF the
Interpretation put upon the law Dy the
judges Such men form a tribunal 10
whose opinion the judges are sensitive
The better lawyers of the United
States do not sink their professional senti-
ment and opinion i'll their party sympa-
thies. They know good law even when
il goes against themselves, and privately
had a a
less because il benefits their party or
their client"
There is much current advocacy Of
change in our institutions" continued the
speaker, among those who find 1t easier
10 suggest changes in the structure of
government than to grapple directly with
such evils as arise under all forms OF
government. But no radical change IN
our government has ever been made In
the face of the opposition of a consider
able majority of the American bar. The
lawyers of the country Will discuss and
analyZe the changes now proposed in GER
tain quarters, as they have many other
proposed changes in the past. The
greatest obstacle in the way OF the sud
den accomplishment Of purely democratic
government is undoubtedly the bar. And
the greatest protection of the individual
from the tyranny of the crowd Is the
bench.
Protected from the momentary rage Of
disappointed social reformers by the life
tenure OIL Office, the leQcTdi JUOlSldIy ID
the most conservative power in our gov
eminent. Since the days when John
Marshall calmly laid down the founda-
tons of a nation in the face Of an frate
Numerically opposite conceptions of the
meaning of the Constitution, the Supreme
Court Of the United States has never
doomed up with such portentous moment
TO the fate of representative republican
government as at this very hour.
Tribute to Justice Hughes.
ut Is most fortunate that at such
time as this a man who has so won the
confidence Of the bar and OF the people
as Charles z. Hughes should have be-
come a member Of the Supreme Court.
He enters upon his great office at
mcmentous period. He turns his back
upon all thoughts of ease. He begins a
life of arduous and unremitting toll. and
lie must be content to look at the APP
prevail OF his own conscience and the ap-
probation of posterity as his only reward.
There are those who think dnerentiy
of his office. 1t is related that the day
after Mr.. HughN' nomination to the
Supreme Bench was announced, two poll
ticians of the kind that had found in him
an implacable and inmovable obstacle to
their schemes met on the street, and one
said to the other: Have you heard the
news? No said the second. That fellow
in the capitol has got q life job at $1,000
year. was the reply. Well, l never
knew one of them reformers yet that
wouldn't grab soft berth the minute he
got a chance at it. was the rejoinder."
To illustrate the idea which he says
prevails in some quarters that the
supreme Court is an asylum OF ease, Mr..
Wickersham cited the instance of Wall
street broker who inquired the Monday
following the first argument Of the suit
against the American Tobacco Company.
why the court had not decided the case.
l.
impatiently inquired. The lawyers talked
for four days. and that's a week ago:
why don't they decide the case and let us
go ahead with business
Out Of this self-imposed restraint which
the American people has placed upon its
own impulses" said Mr.. Wickersham in
conclusion, has come that sovereign
power which has exalted this nation to
its leadership among the peoples OF the
earth. Let us uncover and punish all
corruption in office, let us remedy abuses
OF power: let US us mold our laws to pro-
tect the oppressed and the down-trod-
den: let us hold our representatives to
strict accountability in the discharge Of
their trust But let us ponder long and
deeply before we lay our hands upon that
vital principle of free governmental fear
less and independent judiciary
First Speech Of Justice Hughes.
Justice Hughes made his first appear
ance and address at a public function to-
night since his appointment as associate
justice OF the United States Supreme
Court.
In a democracy" said Justice Hughes
in his address. 1.-The position of Judge is
TO me the highest privilege of vocation.
i should not attempt to speak of the
Supreme Court of the United States-it Is
for others TO speak for that court. That
court and the members of II speak for
themselves through their opfnions-and
not otherwise 1t is peculiarly the peo-
pies tribunal. for II is it's function to
safeguard the fundamental rights ex-
pressed in the peoples Constitution And
/ assure you that In the conference of
the judges of the Supreme Court of the
lnited States there is exhibited a candor
complete devotion to their task that / am
sure would he most gratifying to the en-
tire people of the Union could they know
more intimately what actually takes
place.
This is meeting OF the bar and the
work OF the court IL largely dependent
upon the character of the work OF the
bar. ,
Bench Recruited From the Bar.
The bench must be recruited from the
bar. Decadence of the bar inevitably
means decadence In the administration
of justice and quick resentment against
public wrongs and refusal to prostitute
.biiity to the demands OF cupidity and
determination to enforce the eternal prin-
eiples Of Justice and to make manhood