Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-24
SUGGESTS AS SUBSTITUTE
IMPEACHMENT PROCEDURE
In Speech in Coliseum Lauds Work
of the Tariff Board.
DEPENDS HIS TARIFF vETOES
President Has a Busy Day, Includ-
ing Much Speaking, Laying
Corner Stone and Wit
Messing Sports.

ST. LOUIS, Mo, September 2"-Presi-
dent Taft carried out a strenuous pro-
gram here today He made six speeches.
took forty-mile automobile ride opened
the local foot ball season by tossing the
pieskin onto the gridiron at st. Louis
University laid the corner stone of a
new Y NJ. c. A. building. sat through
nine innings of exciting base ball between
the ST. Louis and Philadelphia National
League teams, visited the Masonic club
to be made life member of that organ
izaton and addressed vast throng in
the coliseum tonight. Then he sought his
private car to travel all night in order
to be in the insurgent state OF Kansas to-
morrow,
Substitute for Judiciary Recall.
On the eve of entering this hostile ter
ritory the President put forth the sug-
gestion of a wider power Of impeach-
ment as substitute for the more radical
proposal of a judiciary recall. The
President declared that the laws delay
unquestionably was one of the great
causes of unrest in this country, and
said that undoubtedly the recall idea
had grown out of the fact that the courts
in many instances are not performing the
functions that they should.
Judges should be held more responsible.
the President declared. and the method OF
Impeachment made simple. Mr..
Taft declared the delay in administering
justice in this country should bring the
blush of shame to the cheeks of all good
Americans. and that the courts of this
country made a very poor showing in
comparison with those of England, where
the Judges keep up with their dockets
and where criminals find swift punish
ment awaiting them
The President spoke with much earnest
ness on the subject Of reform in judicial
procedure. He said it was something
with which he was most familiar, and
that both as a lawyer and Judge he felt
free to discuss the matter from the
frankest possible standpoint The speech
on this subject was entirely impromptu
and followed a luncheon at the City Club.
The Presidents set speech of the day
was on the creation, the work and the
purpose of the tariff board
Most Cordial Reception.
Mr.. Taft's reception throughout was the
most cordial and demonstrative he has
received on any of his visits to the city
He was the guest of the Million Popula-
ton Club. and during his long automobile
ride saw all of the territory that st. Louis
now covers and all its citizens expect it
TO cover in the next few years in their
climb toward the million mark.
At breakfast with the Mercantile Club
the President referred briefly to Canadian
reciprocity. He declared himself content
with the outcome, for as lawyer, he
had learned that when decision hits
YOU right between the eyes, the best thing
TO do is TO sit STILL Mr. Taft said he be-
lieved and still believes that reciprocity
would inure TO the benefit of both coun-
tries.
Twice during the day the President was
introduced as the best and greatest Presi-
dent of the country He modestly pro-
tested OH each occasion. At the Masonic
Club the President said he had two
occasions worn the Masonic apron which
had belonged TO George Washington.
who was the greatest man in the history
of the country
Real Reason for Discomfort
In his speech the need of judicial
reform the President said: "One of the
real reasons for discomfort is the char
acter of the procedure and the admin
lstration of justice in our courts.
believe that the states of this country
and the young lawyers of this country
should devote their attention to a con-
stant discussion and pressure upon tho
legislatures for cutting short judicial
procedure and expediting justice 1t is
the one thing, in my judgment. that
Is more easily reached and more needed
under our government than any other.
Il wonder whether you have thought
OF the tendency that We have in that
kind of legislation from the time the
Constitution was adopted in this coun-
try and our courts were organized
until now, especially in the west. and
as you go west
Trial by jury is "A good thing 1t
brings into the administration of JUS
tice the people, and in a popular gov
ernment the people feel safer. in that
they are called in to determine issues
of important fact: but trial by jury, my
friends. stated in the Constitution.
was a trial by jury of the facts under
the inspiration of a judge. who had the
power TO tell the jury what the law
was. and had the power to hold the
courtroom under his control and not let
il be taken away by the counsel for the
prosecution or the counsel for the de-
fense.
Power Taken From Judges
And yet the suspicion Of the people
of the judges has been such. the move
ment OF al. legislation. from the At
lantic westward. has been to take away
from the judges the power they had
under the English system, that we have
copied. and the system that we put
into our Constitution.
III judge is not frightened by any
body and will carry on a court as his
court, then you will have your admin
istration of justice as it is in England
Ii you examine the statistics you will
blush as Americans that we have not
shown ourselves more adaptable to the
issue which has arisen here with respect
TO whether crime shall be punished, and
have not made a machine that has ac-
complished the purpose.
Opposes the Recall.
THE tendency of legislation ought tc
be toward giving the judges more power
and then making the judges responsible
There is no difficulty about making the
judge -espon sibls. either. ] know 1t ).
proposed T. make {. short cut and cut
tCon;.nueG Oh Fourth i'ase.j