Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-01-12
Address of Hon. r. s. streeter.

Address OF non. +. >. Streeter.
The speaker of the afternoon was Hon.
Frank S. ,Streeter of Concord, N. H.,
who is considered one of the ablest MEM
bers of the New Hampshire bar. Mr..
Streeter instead of the usual abstract
discussion of some legal problem took
for his subject The World Moves" and
treated OF the great changes of standards
and measures of value, which had taken
place during the past 25 years. particu-
larly in legal affairs. He sand in part:
Instead of submitting an argument
upon some abstruse question of law to-
day, let us consider some of these reyo-
lutionary changes which are going on
about us and in which We, as a profess
sion, either willingly or unwillingly, are
compelled to take u part.
Are we as profession accurately not
. ing and estimating the radical changes,
coming under our own eyes, largely with
in the last Is years? No longer ago than
that, law, religion, education, politics,
business and public morals seemed to be
established ON fixed and definite basis,
and to be measured and valued by defi-
mite standards universally accepted.
Within % years many of these standards
and measures of value have been dis
carded. The American people seem all at
once to have determined on re-examina-
ton of the entire foundations of their
business and political structures.
Even in religion, creeds have been SO
modified that the so-called orthodox
views of today are quite as liberal and
perhaps more tolerant than the views of
Trn.& g- &c
giving way to liberation. Catholic and
Protestant, Jew and Gentle, pagan and
Christian, are now working together
with sympathy and harmony in whatever
tends TO promote the general good.
In education, the old methods of train
ing and instruction are constantly being
revised. Educational methods, heretofore
regarded as settled, are now daily ques-
tioned The academic world is restless
and uneasy. Educators are dissatisfied
with the results obtained and are speak
ing ont.
That the world moves" and is moving
rapidly in matters where our profession
is directly concerned is shown by the
changing trend of legislation governing
the relation of individuals TO the state.
Ah iiSiNooihSiy ioi SC hdhioNA VI oN'
legislative enactments either command OF
prohibit the individual to do or not to dc
things which. before the enactment, ht
had the freedom of choice. Each year the
number of Legislative bills which might
be prefaced by the public command
thou shalt. or thou shalt not in
creases. The steady tendency of legisla.
ton is to restrict Individual freedom and
enlarge the power of the government
The legislative results of the recent
determination by the American people te
re-examine the foundations OF their en-
tire business and political structure are
startling from the old view points. Lee
US look at some of the important change:
already made. The recent electoral re
form laws have produced Fundamental
changes in the election of public officers
and in the making as well as the admin
istiation of the law. Twenty-Five years
ago constitutional amendment to make
or veto legislation by direct popular vote
the initiative and referendum, would have
been regarded as radical and fanatica
attempt TO oyerturn the entire govern
mental structure When South Dakota
first adopted the principle fn 1898. follow
cd by Ctah IN 1865 and by Oregon In 1902
these steps were then regarded in the
East as radical experiments of new and
inexperienced Western legislators. But
when in 1908 the old conservative State
Of Maine by large rhajorities put the ini-
ffative and referendum into her consti-
tuition this explanation is not satisfy ing.
Some other reason is demanded
Legislation granting the power to re-
move or 'recalf' public Official by pop-
ular vote during the official term for
which he was elected is of recent origin
and is rapidly spreading. Originally
adopted and effectively tried in Califor.
MIA, 1t has Travelled East and now appears
in a modified form in the new charter OF
the city of Boston. in the daily press
). we note that the mayor Of Seattle is ever
now being subjected to this process by q
jiVsssse. iV;Iiss''s,'e ''ss'gs'gH|lYh sE