Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-08-17
Friends From Wausau, Merrill,
Stevens Point, Marshfield,
Waupaca, Wautoma a n d
Friendship Pay Their Re-
spects to an Honored Jurist
and Friend

( and silent prayer for comfort whic
| comes from above.
Attorney B. R. Goggins, after Civ
ing an account of his life's work anC
history delivered the following ell
logy of him as Judge:
But it is as a Judge that he takes
highest rank. He had the judicia
| bent and he thoroly comprehended th'
judicial function.
The basic principles of our govern
ment and our society are persona
liberty and the right of private oWne
ship of property. 1t was the denia
of these principles in theory and il
fact by the powers of the Old World
that led to the colonization of the
New World and the ultimate revolutio
resulting in our national independence
Our constitutions, national and state
were framed to preserve these basic
rights of all the people and in this
light all our laws should be enacted
and judicial decisions determined
Thus this nation is one of law as
found in our constitutions, Gus stat
utes passed under and in harmony
with our constitutions and the de
cisions of our courts and it is bu such
law that the liberties and rights OF
our people must be tested and deter
mined.
We have our legislatures, national
and state. 1t is there that politics
has play In our legislatures poll
tieal partisanship, intensified it may
be by personal desire for preferment
often runs to extremes. There we
find much of the stump Oratory and
of wild and extreme statement. The
Executive Department of our govern
ment is also in a large measure po
litical. In healthy republic we must
have these conditions, a fact which
We all thoroly understand and ap
preciate. The balance wheel is the
third department of our government
the judicial. 1t was intended by the
trainers of our constitution, and theil
expectations have been fully realiz
ed that the judicial department
should be free from all political in
fluences and from bias and partisan
ship of all kinds. To this depart
ment falls the important function OF
calmly and dispassionately interpret
ing, constituting and administering the
laws under the constitutions. Oul
people are therefore a nation of law
By such law the personal and rela
tive rights of the people must be
maintained. By such law we must
Render unto Caesar the things that
are Caesars and unto God the things
that are Gods" The great judge
must be well grounded in and must
fully comprehend these fundamental
principles. If so he possesses one o.
the great qualities necessary fol
judicial success; if he does not
he is a failure Mere knowledge OF
the technicalities of the law is not sui
ficient It was said of Justice Marsh
all of the Supreme Court of the u
nited States that as to technical kno7
ledge his mind was not so richly stol
ed as that of Taney and Storey, but
that he had confidence in his OWL
strength and worked out results will
astounding penetration, resolving e
very argument into its, ultimate prin
ciples.
Judge Webb was this calibeg O.
man. No judge more thoroly comBre
hended or more carefully and assidn
ously applied these fundamental prin
! ciples, and upon THIS fact much o
his renoWn as a Judge rests, He
boasted little memory of decisions b!
title volume and page. but he had ;
! mo- thore understanding Of the fun
damental principles of the law as writ
ten in the. constitutions. the statutes
and as expounded in judicial decis
ions, and he applied the law to, the
!
/ facts of. a given. case in. a way tina
excited admiration of every lawye
who Witnessed his. work.
1t is this quality which makes wha
writer's have some times called 'sju
dicial craftsmanship" 1t is thi
quality which has given Judge Marsf
all of the Supreme Court of the q
nited, States his imperishable fam
as a jurist.
There Is another Important indis
pensahle qualification in the grea
nudge. 1t is that qualification whiel
enables the man sitting as a 1udg
to disregard party, friendship, kindred
politics, partisanship and self-intei
est of every kind, 1t is that qualit
which enables the Judge to hew e1
actly to hte line which separates righ
from wrong in the judicial sens
and prevents his being led a singl
hairs breath therefrom by any cor
sideration whatever.
1t Is that quality which enable
the great War Secretary of the Trea
, ury after he became Chief Justice {
/ the Supreme Court of the United ST
es to exercise that extraordinary sci