Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-01-04

When we first became a state there
were no North Dakota reports. and for
those of Us who went upon the benign
at that time. 1t was like blazing our
way through the forest. You cant
wonder. brethren. that those of us who
went on the bench so early in state
hood-that we got Off the line quite
frequently. Now those who are on
The bench have those sign boards
which have been put up by one OF the
most able supreme courts which any
state has ever had: and it makes it
much easier for the trial judge and
lawyer now. when he can find SO many
%precedents I go by. And a few times
as | was ondeavoring TO blaze my way
| through the forest in that way ! some
times became discouraged almost,
from the responsibility that was rest.
ing upon me. aad ! finally felt quite
relieved when. after a time. | found
that my brethren in the supreme court
were always ready and willing to cor
rect my mistakes, and II was some
times a source of grea, satisfaction
and relief TO know that m! mistakes
were so readily corrected. And at
such times | used TO feel somewhat as
though | could sympathize with the
! deacon il he old story which perhaps
many OF YOU have heard.
1t seems that ii was quite a poor
| congregation. and the deacon had hard
work to make both ends meet. and
they finally held a meeting of the dea.
cons and those interested in the
church aId the deaconS made up their
minds that they could dispense with
the services of the preacher and they
, could take turns preaching. They had
a meeting and with tears they babe
the preacher goodbye. Sorry he had
to 90. but they could not keep him any
longer. So one of the deacons got up
| next Sunday and gave out the hymns,
, made the prayer and gave out the
text. and started cut with a sentence
or two of the sermon. but finally ran
| aground. and after backing up n
starting in again two or three times
he says. Brethren. if any OF you think
you can preach just come up here and
try il. | am ready TO CALI back the
pastor
l used 10 feel the responsibility rest
ing upon me. and ! used to feel as
though it would be a relief if ! could
get down and off the bench. AID wet.
with all the t%ribulations. with all the
! troubles and with all the anxiety, 1t
has in many respects been a delight
full field OF thought. The field has
been so brcad-no two cases alike.
And in my weak eadeavor to Apply
the general principles of law to the
given cases-enumerable number OF
, cases almoSt-whlch have come up.
before me during the last quarter OF
a century there has been a certain de-
light about il. which. it seems to me,
| could not have gained il any other
way. 1t is a delightful study. The
field is so large. Those of you who
are young at the bar are just begin
ming to hook out upon the field. The
longer you study II the harder you
work upon it the broader and o
pleasant i; appears. 1t is a great work
TO engage il. The harder you work
the better you will enjoy it and the
more successful YOU viii! become. The
field is so broad there is very little,
comparatively speaking, that any II
man can learn about law. 1t is only a
drop in the bucket. Those who have
studied law the longest AID most
faithfully will admit that what they
don't know about the law will make
a much larger book than what they
do know. ! have often thought that If
| could be as good a lawyer and know
as much law as | supposed | knew
when | left Albany University. that |
would be a great lawyer, But the
longer we study it the less we think
We know. and the more we see there
is to be learned.
Brethren. | can, sit down without
referring to one matter which it is
rars d ...cult for me to sneak about
the bouquets that have been handed
me here tonight, the rich bouquets,
the fragrant bouquets. 1t is needless
for me to say that l appreciate them
from the bottom of my heart l al
ways did think it was treating a fell
low rather unfairly to wait until he
was in his casket and then load his
cold casket down with flowers and
bouquets not giving him an opportun-