Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-08-31
ANNUAL MEETING
OF THE AMERICAN
BAR ASSOCIATION
Thirty.Fifth Annual Convention opens
at Observation-Disclosures Gregory
Commends President Tafrs Propos-
ed Treaties With Foreign Countries
and Favors Equal Suffrage.

Commends President Tafrs Propos-
ed Treaties With Foreign Countries
and Favors Equal Suffrage.
Milwaukee, Wis. Aug. 27--When the
35th annual convention of the Ameri-
can Bar Association opened here to.
day at Hotel Pfister members said
that before the end of the ree-day
session the Association might be split
wide open by the fight for and against
the ousting of Assistant Attorney-Gen-
eral William Fl. Lewis. negro, from
membership. Lewis is known at Har-
ward, where he was graduated in 1894,
as the greatest center rush in all foot
ball history.
Lewis has a champion in no less a
parsonage than his chief Attorney
eneral Wickersham, who has threaten
ed to resign from the Association If
Lewis is dropped. Col. Alexander
Troy. OF Montgomery Ala, has replied
thus:
you keep your negro and lose a
thousand members throughout the
south"
The executive committee admitted
Lewis to membership without knowl.
edge of his color.
Presidents Address
The presidents address. by s. s.
Gregory, of Illinois, opened the meet
ing this morning. He communicated
the most noteworthy changes in stat
ute law made in the several states
and in Congress in the past year.
Mr.. Gregory's recapitulation com
mended President Taft's proposed
treaties with England and France
pssodoId eql GIeAIsuelxe poMeIAsI
which were abrogated by The Senate;
amendment for the direct election of
Senators without voicing criticism on
Communications lauded the adoption
of the eight hour day for government
workmen; commended trial by jury
in criminal contempt cases and the
proposed reform of judicial proceed
ure; condemned the election of judges
to short terms; recommended equal
suffrage and criticized Sherman anti
This last feature OF the Presidents
trust act.
speech received by far the most
opinion that the dis-integration of big
business was in direct opposition to
the centralizing trend of the times. In
regard to the Sherman Act he said in
part:
"The federal act in question. has in
my judgment. accomplished little or
nothing useful. Prosecutions and pro-
ceedings under it, where successful
have resulted in barren victories with
no practical result; and in the nature
of things. nothing of permanent ad-
vantage ever can be accomplished in
a governmental contest against econ
governmental contest against eco
suggest that there may not be need
Of some legislation in this field If
there is it must be of a far different
character. 1t must be by way of reg
ulation, and control of combination
rather than by prohibition. believe
that this act ought to be repealed"
President Gregory then paid his re-
spects to the ladies OF the land, say
ing: 1T certainly seems as il women
were entitled to self government as
well as men. 1t is the Jeffersonian idea
well as men. 1t is tn Jeffersonian ida
all men are entitled not merely to
wise government, not merely to hon
est government, not merely to good
government, but to self government.
1t is difficult to see how consistently
with this principle the political rights
accorded to men can be denied TO wo-
men,"
In touching upon the case of Judge
Cornelius II. Hanford. who recently
resigned under fire, President Gregory
ventured the opinion that the testi-
mony in the Hanford case was for the
most part trivial and fell far short OF
such high crime and misdemeanors as
would warrant the impeachment of a
federal Judge.
The Presidents address was closed
with an appeal for the more substan-
general and for the issuance OF an ade
tial remuneration OF the judiciary in
quate pension to the widow of the late
Supreme Court Justice Harlan.
President Gregory interpreted the
radical legislation and ideas preva-
lent to desire upon a part of the peo-
pie to circumvent the abuses that
have grown up in the United States
since the framing up a. the constitu-
ton and to again return the govern
ment to the hands OF the people.
At the conclusion of the Presidents
address the reports Of officers and com