Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-03-21
ATTORNEY GENERAL
FIGHTS RECALL
Of JUDGES
STRONG PLEA FOR AN
INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY
Wickersham Scores What He
Calls Latest Invention of
Self Characterized Progress
Sive Government RefOrmerS,
IBy Morning JournaI Special Leased wlrel

[By Morning journal Special Leased wlrel
Cleveland, O., March 20.-Dedica-
tory exercises of CleYeland's $4,000
OO0 federal building were concluded
tonight with banquet under the
auspices of the Chamber of Com
merce at which $50 of the city's
leading men and distinguished guests
were present.
The main address was by Attorney
General George w Wickersham, who
spoke on 'The State and Nation
Mr.. Wickersham made strong plea
for an Independent judiciary ana
scored the recall as the --latest inven-
ton of self-charaeterized progressive
government.
"Representative republican govern
ment,' said he. "is founded on a prac-
tical recognition of the facts that in
a busy, prosperous community the
average citizen can give but little time
to the details of his government. He
therefore joins with his fellow cleo
tors in selecting representatives to
frame the laws from which to be gov
erned and in choosing the principal
officers who are to execute them. His
life, liberty and property are protect
ed from undue invasion in either
branch of the government by means
Of constitutional restrictions upon
their powers and by limiting the terms
for which they are chosen there Is
required of them periodical account
of their stewardships.
This system secures to the agents
freedom from undue interference
during their terms of office. thus Civ
ing them time TO work out any prob
lem and to submit 1t to the test of ex-
perience before 1t is condemned
Abuses OF power occur under all
forms of government
Representatives chosen to make
laws for state or nation have not al
ways been faithful TO their trust. The
greater importance of the national
| legislature upon which the eyes of the
nation are directed, as rule, pre-
served II from the corruption and the
inefficiency of many OF the state legis-
latures The history of the latter has
| been too often a istory of venallty and
stupidity.
"But is the remedy to be found in
| the overflow of the whole system of
representative government? Political
and social reformers alike are prone
| to advocate the overthrow of a sys-
| TEN rather than the more difficult
| task OF selecting fit agents to conduct
| te system and of the bringing of un-
| Just stewards to account
what are judges but impartial
arbitrators to whom any one of us
| may be compelled at any moment to
turn for protection Of life, limb or
property? What will become Of that
protection II our system of govern
| ment should subject him to the rage
| OF the mob, when he asserts the SUI
premacy of the law in the face of un-
| Just clamor? Who Of us will be Sc
! cure in all that we hold dear If our
| judges can only retain their places by
consulting the passing fever Of the
crowd instead of the laws of the land {?
"a glib, cheap answer Is made by
| the advocates of purely democratic
government when objection is made to
| their schemes: You do not trust the
people," they say. On the contrary,
| 1t Is they who do not trust the peo-
| pie. Their whole program Is based
on the assumption that the people are
unfit or unable to choose honest and
faithful representatives.
| Under such a system the people
| abandon all self-restraint and the
necessity of sober second thought,
based on accurate information and
| thorough discussion before condemn
ing the servants
| The attorney general in conclusion
| strongly endorsed Presidents Taft's
plan for reciprocity with Canada. He
pointed out that the total gross tom
| mage of the American mercantile
marine for the year 1909 registered
at all Atlantic and gulf ports, was
3,500,394 tons. and with the lake
ports 2.7S2,4S1 tons
"Only vexatious revenue tariff
burdens the exchange of trade and
commerce between u.s., he said. ''The
| aggregate amount of Canadian pro-
| ducts is not large The amount OF
duties collected by us upon them is
| inconsdera the amount collected
| by Canada upon our exports to her
shores is trivial. Her labor is of the
same character as ours. No principle
| of protection to our home Industry
! is, therefore, involved in establishing
the greatest freedom of trade and
commerce between the United States
and Canada.
The days of isolated national life
are past. We can no longer look at
our next door neighbors as aliens or
strangers. Their interests are In a
large measure bound up with ours. In
the continued and closer union of
Anglo Saxon peoples lies the worlds
best hope for It's continued peace and
prosperity
Ex.Mayor Johnson Recovering.
Cleveland, o., March 20,-Follow-