Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1914-02-20
BOOK REVIEW.
Fenlons Constitutional Law Just
Published BY U. S. Institute
Text Book ior MidshipmeD.

Text Book ior MidshipmeB.
Friends OF Instructor Ii. J. Fenton
are congratulatinR him upon the APP
pearauee of HE book, Constitutional
Law" just published by the United
States Naval Institute as a textbook
for midshipmen. Mr. Fenton was ad-
mitted TO the Maryland bar some
wears a 70. His book. representing
several years labor, is a worthy con-
tribution to the literature OF law
and published in Annapolis, as il Isl,
reflects credit upIn our city.
As becomes a teacher, Mr.. Fenton
gives n relish to serious study. For
example, of the formal balloting for
President at the Capitol in Washing
ton. he says:
Coming as it does two months
after the people have voted, when
everybody knows who the new Exc Gu
tive is to be, il is not without a GER
tain Clroll aspect to those critics who
are humorously inclined. Page l7t.
Again, the author agrees with Mark
Twain that a change 10 our jury sys-
tenn il needed. Page 218. He speaks
of the legal habit of sdheriug TO pre-
cedent as both good end bad TT" bad
in that IL fails to allow for that
change in sentim mt and belief which
is more or less linked with human
evolution. Page 2l3.
Marylanders complacency ia the
boast of religious liberation receives a
jar when MIR. Fenton compares tbs
broad statesmanship Of the Constitu-
ton of the United States with the fact
that Maryland requires all holders
of public Offices 10 profess the Chris
tian religion, or a belief in a future
state of rewards and punishments. "
Page GAG.
Thus it would appear that religious
federation in Maryland, like the
statue concentrating the same in
Market Square, is not yet complete.
In commenting upon the fact that
only three Federal judges have ever
been successfully impeaehed, the
author remarks that this testifies as
much, perhaps, to the cumbersome
mesa of the method Of removal as 10
the rectitude Of our judges. Page
20e. Again. in speaking OF money.
both honest and dishonest, the au
thor says: Net even the Congress-
If the United States can make some
thing out of nothing. Page I09.
Such palpable hits are scattered
broadcast through the book, which is
brought up to date in other respects.
The initiative, the referendum, and
the recall OF judges are discussed, as
we'll as the recent amendments 10 the
Constitution. The pardoning power Of
the Governors of most states is Illus
rtated by the case of Duncan Cooper,
slayer of Senator Csrmack. A hint
to the Governors Of our own State is
conveyed in the sentence: THAT an
ordinary citizen, therefore, raised
for BRIEF while by popular votes to
an exalted position, should be able to
set free those when courts and iuries
have deemed wise TO shut Up, Is lit
tie short Of the preposterous.
Page IS.
In brief, this textbook is very
much alive Furthermore. the clear
ness and ease of the authors stvle
are delightful. It would seem reason
able that his book should gain wide
1t should give any young
man intelligent respect for the SUI
preme law OF the land. and inspire
a reverence for the same.
The re der feels that there is sufi-
eient vitality in the Con5titution to
cause the nation TO flourish as many
centuries as has the tulip-poplar
on st. Johns campus. The book is
designed not only for the nee of
en-, but to meet the needs
of other schools as WELL 1t should
have wide field of usefulness. An
intelligent respect for law aud los
atty 10 the nest American traditions
should be taught in all our schools.
Fsnton's Constitutional Law Is an
excellent example of the art OF book
mechanical ard otherwise.
Clearly printed on light paper. this
book Of $50 pages makes a rather
small volume, easily handled, and ia
every way a cred dit to the printer. AS
yet only $50 copies have been print
ed, for immediate use at the Naval
Academy. Ii is the publishers plan
to correct whatever Typographical.
errors may be discovered ia the class
room. so as to make the regular edi-
tion. which will sppear4 next sum-
mer. as nearly perfect as possible
The book is devoted chiefly to dis
eussing clause by clause the entire |
Each clause is stated /