New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-01-21
President Shows Deep Feeling in
Speech Before Bar AsSocia-
ton and is Cheered
to Echo.
HINTS AT COMING CRISES
Says Time May Be Near When
Country Will Need Lawyers
AS II Did When the
Government Was
Founded.

| fibre of it's composite being 10 MS denun-
citation Of the judicial recall greeted
| President Taft last night at the annual
dinner of the New York State Bar Asso-
citation in the grand ballroom OF the
Waldorf Time and again the President
with the fire of his words. drew thunder
OF applause from the excited diners whicn
swelIed the vast room and rolled back
gain from the galleries filled with
| section OF the fair sex sensible OF the
same sympathies. Not in the memory OF
the Oldest timer there had the President
exhibited before such spirit.
! It was late when he arose 70 speak.
nearly midnight, and several speakers
had preceded him, among them Senator
Root. the toastmaster. who repeated In
other words the sentiments already ex-
nressed bv him TO the members OF the
association on Friday. President Taft
began by complimenting the association
and the profession in general on the sin
cere efforts It had been making for
decade to simplify and shorten court pro-
cedure. and he expressed the hope that
the discussion attending the thirty-htth
annual meeting Of the New York State
Bar Association, consuming the last Two
days, would lead to action in the direc-
ton Of judicial reform.
But tonight" he said, II thought |
( heard from the voice Of your chairman
deeper note, that Of an approaching
crisis in this country when 1t should
need the bar as it needed the bar when
this government was founded. | have
heard before an audience similar to this
these words from your great leader
James C. Carter:
1T is a profession as old 3 the
magistrate, as noble as virtue and as
necessary as virtue
Must Defend Our Institutions.
Now. if that be the case II We are
the handmaidens Of Justice, il the pro-
| fessiCn leads us TO the study Of the
fundamentals of government, then 1t de-
wolves upon us to defend those institu-
tions when they are In danger. Popular
government we all believe in. There are
those of us who do not believe all peo-
pie are fitted for popular government.
The fact is, we know they're not. Some
Cf US don't dare say so, but | do"
Here his hearers checked him with
cheer that fluttered the Stars and
Stripes, fanked by the French and Brit
ish flags, facing him at the end OF the
hail.
And the question" he continued, when
he could be heard again, whether q
people is fitted for popular government
is determined by the ability of the ma
jority of that people 10 impose restraints
upon itself by which the minority shall
receive justice"
Again the applause broke loose
ITS a question" the President reit-
Grated, "Of self-imposed restraint that
determines whether a people is At TO
govern Itself
What is the Constitution but self
imposed restraint? A delegation by the
majority of the people to courts of Just
men to decide between the majority and
the minority. That's what makes the
Federal Constitution, drawn by states
men and lawyers who knew the opera
tions of the law and the frailties OF man
kind, the great instrument II is. adapted
And we are called upon now. we OF the
bar. 10 say whether we are going to
protect the institution OF the judiciary
against the majority. or against all the
people. pending the decision Of law and
Justice"
The President uttered these words
with voice that echoed back upon him
in spite OF the crowded condition Of the
great banquet hall, and he brought his
fist down hard on the table, tinkling the
glasses to emphasize his ardor Then he
said with passionate scorn:
judicial recall"
Diners Cheered Until Hoarse.
The diners, almost hysterical laughed
first. then laughed and cheered and then
cheered until hoarse, rising and waving
,keir napkins.
THE words themselves are so incon-
sstent." went on the President with
heat that | hate TO utter them to-
gether. Are we going to make the Con-
stitution a mere liquid thing so that the
majority may overrule every check that
our fathers put there to give us this tho
greatest government of the world?'
Again he had drawn the lawyers cheer
ing TO their feet.
III you mean by your cheers he told
them that you are not going to give UP
the Constitution that you are not going
to let the courts be run on the principle
of the majority vote-then agree heart
iIy with you Bat this matter of the iu-
dicial recall is being agitated the country
over. II is necessary In order that the
good people of this country he not mis-
led that YOU should speak the truth with
all the strength of the faith that's In YOU
IN favor Of the courts and their indepeud-
ence and the restraints imposed wisely
hv the best ancestors that any people
ever had
Everybody jumped MP then and
cbeered and cheercd. while the Presi-
dent. his face suddenly wreathed In tho
old Taft smile once again after his talk
from the heart. FASTENED bowing and
noddino by q rear door 10 the limousine
which was to convey him to the Penn
sylvania station.
He sure showed the old Yale spirit"
remarked brother Eli. and on every
Continued on sixth page.