Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-10
LAUD BETA THETA P|
Justices Lurton and Van De-
vanter at Annual Dinner.
MEMBERS OF FRATERNITY
Harlan and Lamar Unable to Attend.
Judge Grosscup Discusses
Lorimer Case.

NEW YORK, February l0-Justlces
Horace H. I.urton and Willis Van De-
vanter Of the Supreme Court OF the
| United States delivered opinions on the
fratcrnal glories of Beta Theta Pi last
night at the banquet of the Beta Theta ri
Club of New York at the Waldorf. The
dinner had been planned to show the fra
ternity's hold on the bench, and Justices
Harlan and Lamar, both Betas. were TO
have been present.
Among the others who concurred in inc
opinions handed down by Justices Lnrton
and Van Devanter were Justice Robert
T. Sutherland OF the high court of On
tario Toronto so: Judge Peter s. Gross
cup of the United states circuit court,
Wittenberg. -. Justice Charles {. Van
Kirk of the Supreme Court Of lew YORK,
Colgate 81: Justice Edgar $. X. Merrill
of the Supreme Court of New YORK,
St Lawrence Beta of 81: Attorney Gen
eral Carmody and eX-Gov. Andrew jack
son Montague of Virginia, Richnona
Beta of s..
There were 100 Betas from sixty col
leges there to cheer for everybody ana
everything. but the Supreme Court OF
the United States got the greatest ap-
plause.
The favorite slogan was. What the
matter with the judges and the Judges
were promptly led to believe that they
We're all all right.
Justice Lurton Presented.
Dwight w Morrow of Amherst intro
duced Justice Lurton. and there was an
other long Beta cheer.
Justice Lurton. addressing the younger
men-gray hairs were largely confined TO
the dais-as "brothers of Woogiin.' said
| Ma
YORK under any circumstances. but that
he recalled the letter written by a man
who. like himself hailed from Tennessee.
Writing from New York the man from
Tennessee told his brother back in the
south what mighty fine place the big
town was and concluded: But, oh,
brother, ! do so regret that didn't come
to New York before got religion.
Justice Lurton said that he thanked the
fraternity not only in his own name but
in the names OF ..an four members of the
fraternity who sit on the Supreme bench
Of the United States When he could
make himself heard through the cheers
Justice Lurton continued, There are only
four of us out Of nine. but we don't be-
grudge the other seats to other Greeks
and the barbarians.'
Defends the Fraternities.
Justice Lurton declared that he had
never been able TO understand the oppo-
sition to fraternities which had mani
tested itself in some colleges. lie said
that he was certain that the underlying
motives in the fraternities were all good
and that the general results of fraternity
life were uplifting. He told how his
chapter at Cumberland was discontinued
when the coming OF the civil war 'prOke
UP the college
when the college reopened in 1865,
he continued, the chapter started in
again. There were fourteen initiates all
of them young men just out of the war.
and of these two had worn the blue and
the rest the gray. This was. l believe,
tie earliest instance Of fraternal reunion.
If man was good fellow and gen
tIeman and likely to take honors in his
studies We didn't ask what flag he fought
under Or what were his political views
Justice Lurton dwelt lovingly on his
college days and said that he sometimes
felt bitterly that his youth was long since
dead
Justice Van Devanter, called on for
"a concurring opinion" told Of meeting
Boston Billy in a cabin in the Wyoming
mountains and of how after Boston Billy
had proved I'm many ways that he was OF
gentle breeding Justice Van Deyanter
had learned that he was a Beta. Boston
Billy, it seemed, had gone west to get
away from the effects of being too good
a fellow and after winning his fight had
become a large ranch owner. "He was"
the best hearted Of all the Betas l have
met
Letters Of regret from Justices Harlan
and Lamar were read before Justice Suth-
erland got up to speak of "the debt that
We. the United States and Canada, owe
to the mother land He described the
fraternity Of the Anglo-Saxon and it's
results in nation building.
Views on Lorimer Case.
Judge Grosscup left fraternal matters
for a moment to say a word about the
case of Senator Lorimer. He praised
the state of Illinois, saying that Lincoln
and Grant were not accidents in Illi-
nois,'' because they came from people
who always put solid success above dis
play. He continued:
1T is this thing YOU are now calling
the disgrace Of Illinois that is the acct
dent in that state. bruise upon her
brow. But a bruise is not u disease. 1t
is not the Illinois of the noble past that
shows in that bruise, not the real ILL
nois of the equally noble present
Bruises are external This one was in
flicted by those appointed our guardian
No true son of Illinois believes 1t will
not quickly disappear. 1t is already dis
| appearing even as the eyes Of our COM
monwealth begin to settle in recognition
upon those who inflicted the wound
Justice Van Kirk also turned from the
contemplation Of fraternal blessings to
say word on politics. He spoke Of the
initiative and referendum and said that
he believed il these measures were adopt
ed no public officer would be able to