New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-20
JUDGE GROSSCUP RET|RES
Corporation Student Leaves Fed
eraI Bench in October.
SEEKS FREEDOM AS CITIZEN
Says Formative Period in Politi-
cal History Is Coming, and
He Would Take Part,

Chicago, Sept 19.-Judge Peter ;. GROSS
cup Of the United States Circuit Court TO-
day announced that he would retire from
the bench the first week in October. Tic
has served nineteen years as a member oil
the federal judiciary in the northern dis
trict of Illinois. and Is q member OF inc
United States Court Of Appeals. desire
10 enjoy more freedom as a citizen ana
resume tho practice # law are given as
reasons for his decision. He said;
Tho reason tor my resiEning at all u
that / wish more freedom not only as az
individual. but az q cltzeh. ne NoiIu
politically is trying to eaten up VII c,,, rIie
tfOns The formative period Is approach
ing Next years Presidential election WI
believe, be the last one on the oid mes,
And the settlement for the future VIII
come not through the courts OF law, puS
through the court Of public OPINION.
wish no Office. but | wish greater freedom
than the bench gives 10 do my part III
this court Of public opinion.
Judge Grcsscup is best known to the pub
lie on account Of his decisions in corpora
ton cases and his ideas about the control
Of tho trusts lie would ''peopleize' the
trusts, 20 use q word Of his own coming.
DESPITE notable decisions Of his IN favor 81
capital, he has been generally regarded az
an enemy Of large combinations. This he
denies Regulation Of the trusts, not de-
struction. ia his doctrine Explaining his
attitude, he said
The laws We have on corporations are
practically no laws N all. In dealing WIN
our national lands. however, We were wise
and Just enough TO say that eacn man
could have l5o acres. no man coula nave
600 or 6o,o00 acres. SO there was IAN
distribution, each man with no more lahh
than ho needed. but each having all thd'
he could cultivate.
We have not applied the same eauitanle
principle 10 what I may call the domain OF
natural corporations. The few are prlNll-
eyed 10 iniure the many. ! would pepper"
the CORPORATIONS not taking away, mean
while. q dollar from any one. no mater
how rich, but making it impossible IN the
future to build mp immense personal lorl-
unes I'm the course OF q few years
/ would mako the bonds and stocks or
corporations safe 10 investors each dollar
Of capital having back of II a dollar
worth Of tangible prppcrtN-and "ouI9
provide for government regulation anu
visitation.
Judge Grosscup said ina speech in 1905
that great corporate properties should nave
been distributed in proprietorship among
the people of the United States, Just as
the farming domain had been. on the con-
trary. he said, they had been left ia. II
lqwlcss rcgion-us Iawless rs were the from
tier towns before United States marshal
was put I'm charge"
Speaking before the students of the Uni
versity of Nebraska I'm 1902, he advocated
the repeal of the Sherman act and the
substitution of laws preventing the issue
OF primary stock in excess Of cash PAID in
or real value Of property contributed, ana
permitting subsequent issues of stock
only on increased value due 10 manage
mcnt. He further favored proft-sharing
with labor not as a bonus, but as a con-
tract right.
The recent act Of Congress, which would
make the court presided over by Judge
Grosscup solely reviewing tribunal, may
his friends think. have FASTENED his de-
cisou to withdraw from the United states
judiciary.
Judge Grosscup came into public notice
when the Court OF Appeals reversed the
action of Judge h. NJ. Lands in timing the
Standard Oil Company $291@VOO Judge
GrOSscup was one Of the three judges VINO
prepared the decision reversing tne nil '..
lie read the opinion. When Application was
made to the federal courts to close ihe
Worlds ColuT bian Exposition on S9Edas
in 1898 Judge Gr1sscup dlSsented, ana Iul,H
that the fair should be kept open every
dav i'm the week Judge Grosscup issued
the Injunction against Eugene '. DeDs ana
Other officers - the American Railway
Union during tie railway strike OF 1874 i'm
Chicago restraining the labor men from
committing acts 81 NoIthCe, anu l IIt
called on the President 20 send federal
troops TO Chicago to preserve order.
The Judge is ffty-nine years old, natFe
of Ashland, Ohio. OF Dutch and German
Revolutionary stock lie was graduated
from Vittcuberg College in 1872 and studied
az the Boston Law School lie practsed
first i'm his native town. was defeated Tor
rorgraea there in 1876 and in 1888 went TO
Cbic9co president Harrison appointed him
10 Inc United States District bench In lSy2
In 1899 he was elevated 10 the circuit
bench