The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-09-06
Vol. XXXVII. No. 4.
the PEOPLE RULE.
LORD HALDANE PAYS TRJBIJTE
TO POWER OF PUBLIC
OPINION.
The Meeting of American Bar Asso-
citation Rendered Noteworthy nv
Epoch Making Speech of ViscOunt
Haldane, Lord High Chancellor of
England.

England.
Montreal, Sept 1.-The address de-
livered this afternoon by the high
chancellor of England, Viscount Hal
dane, formed the principal feature Of
the opening meeting of the American
Bar association. Viscount Haldane had
an audience which included many of
the great legal lights Of the Western
continent and several from Europe.
His theme was Higher Nationality
A study in Law and Ethics"
1t was in many ways an epoch
making speech, dealing as it did with
the relationships of three great ma
tionalities. The lord high chancellor
told how British law in the early days
was vested largely in the sovereign
of the realm, who had associated with
him the lord high chancellor as the
executive Of the kings justice. That
ancient law was based upon expe-
rience rather than upon logic. he said.
and this fact had influenced the law
and the execution of the three great
nations, England, France and Amer
lea.
The speaker argued that the great
force that actuated mankind in oh.
serving the law was not fear of the
officers of justice, but fear of public
opinion, and that therefore public
opinion tended, more than the arbi-
trary execution of justice, to restrain
men from lawbreaking. Developing
this argument, Viscount Haldane pro-
ceeded to suggest that the same pol
icy possibly might be adopted by ma
tions and thar the time had come
when nations might be as nauch
ashamed to follow the ancient meth
DDS of settling differences and dis
putes as individuals have become i'm
late years.
Frank b. Kellogg, president of the
American Bar association, briefly in
i 9roduced the presiding efficer OK ths
afternoon, Chief Justice White Of the
United States supreme court, referring
to him as man who exemplifies the
highest ideals of the American law
yer and who has added lustre to his
profession "by the manner in which
he has presided with great honor and
dignity over the supreme court of our
land"
Chief Justice White read a telegram
from the Duke of Connaught, governor
general of Canada, and the Duchess
of Connaught expressing regret at
not being able to attend the sessions
of the bar association.
Justice White, ir introducing Wis.,
count Haidane, said that the men,
bers of the American Bar association
entertained the highest respect for the
lord high chancellor and all that high
office implied.
The stage was decorated with the
Union Jack as a centerpiece, the Stars
and Stripes on the right and the tri-
color of France on the left, in honor
OF the eminent French advocate,
Maitre Labori. When the lord high
chancellor arrived tine applause was
! lcng sustained. Frank b. Kellogg.
Former President Taft, Premier Bor-
| den and Chief Justice White also came
/ in for ovations.
At the conclusion of the afternoon
session McGill university conferred
degrees on the lord high chancellor
and a number of distinguished mem
bers of the legal profession.
Robert l.. Borden, the Canadian
premier, in welcoming the bar assc-
citation to Canada, said:
I'VE Canadians are bound to the
great empire of which our country
forms no inconsiderable part and we
rejoice that those ties were never
stronger than tn y are today. BY
like ties of kinship, by the bonds OF
commercial intercourse by the enjoy
ment of like institutions, by the pos
session of common literature, by
the inheritance of common liberties,
by the duties and responsibilities of a
citizenship confronted with common
problems, by the ties of comradeship
and neighborlincss, we are also united
to YOU"