The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-08
ghdet Will BE Occupied Week When
Argued and Decided and How RIGHTS
Involved

sion Chief Justice White will send hid
messenger to the homes OF the eight
associate justices to deliver sealed ems
yelopes containing the cases In which
each is to write opinions. Each opin-
lon after its dictation Is sent 10 tho
Government Printing Office and set UP IN
type, printed copy being supplied to
every member of the court for Ills APP
prevail or disapproval. If he approves
he marks the opinion % X" and adds
his signature. but IL he disapproyes he,
marks II with the word dissent" Tic
Inai decision read in court must accord
with the views of the majority OF the
Justices These final decisions are
framed on Saturdays, when the court
never sits, but assemblies behind locked
doors in its conference room" to
which visitors are never admitted. even
at recess time. And Monday Is de-
cision day. except at the beginning OF
sessions. when the first one or two
Mondays a re apt TO be devoted to hear.
ingG. Thus some decisions may bs
handed down tomorrow week, al
though il is more probable that octo-.
her 2S Will be the first decision day.
of this term.
Case Awaited by Lnbor.
The entire labor element il awaits
.HS VIC Htcislon' early in this term, or
the employers liability cases already
heard. You may remember fiat tho
original law of 1905. was held Invalid
by tho Supreme Court because 1T did
not distinguish between Interstate and
intrastatc commerce, and that Presi-
| dent Roosevelt thereupon pressed Tho
new law, passed in 1905, which at
tempted To make the distraction de-
mahded By the court. II provides that
raj ri :.
between the states or in federal ter
ritory shall be liable for death OF
injuries 70 employees or their depen-
gents If the injury results from any
negligence by she railway or defect
OF It's machinery, and even when there
| is contradictory negligence on the pars
OF the victim, in Which latte, case.
however the damages must be propcr-
| uonately reduced. 1t further provides
! that this charge OF contributory nesIi4
sehce cannot be pushea to cut down
! damaees IL the railway has violated
any safety law bearing on The case.
Ana under this law there is O provision
Which makes void In law any agrec-
ments to exempt railroad from iabilil
y which the railroads lawyer may
have Induced the victim of the accident
or his dependents to sign.
Three big railways, the Northern
Pacihc, Southern and New York, New
| Haven and Hartford. brought suits
claiming the law unconstitutionaL
These cases are to be finally decided
! this session, and they will settle scores
OF damage suits since arisen, under the
act, in all parts of the country. The
| labor organizations are greatly ex-
cited over the questionand you will SEQ
many colrmns of literature on the sub
| JeH probably within the next few
weeks.
Courts Space Outgrown.
| a great army of railway attoraeya
VIII overrun the Offices OF our highest
/ court from now on and will once moro
accentuate the lack Of space which
Congress has provided this tribunal.
Indeed. this most powerful branch OF
| the government has for more than a
century been obliged to accept only
such leavings as Congress has chosen
| to give it. During the trust hearings
| last session some of the 700 lawyers
working upon the cases had to lie
given desks In the rooms of Senator's
| This overflow started a movement for
| a new Supreme Court building, an ar
| chitcct has lately made preliminary de-
signs for such temple of justice, al
| most reproducing the architecture OF
the Library OF Congress and situated
upon the corner opposite to that great
pile.
| Copyright. 1911 by John Elfreth Wat
kins,