New-York tribune., 1915-03-28
ROOT PRAISES
AMERICAN BAR
Tells Dwight Alumni Of
Dangers of Flood of
Decisions.
STETSON EXPLAINS
HERRICK'S SPEECH
Denies Former Judge Attacked
Supreme Bench in Address
at Albany.

Elhu Root was the guest of honor
last night at the twenty-thlrd annual
dinner Of the Dwight Alumni Associa-
tion ct the Hotel Astor. Mr.. Root spoke
briefly on the evolution Of the science
OF jurisprudence in the United States
and OF the position Of influence and re
sponsi ibiNty Of the bar in the legal
system.
"The legislatures Of the country are
proceeding at great velocity TO make
new laws" he said. 81 had count
made of new laws while was IN the
Senate. and found that IN the five
years preceding 1914 more than $1,000
new statutes were passed by state
legislatures and by Congress and that
m the same period there were more
than $4,000 decisions Of courts OF last
resort.
THE legislatures are not proceeding
Systematically. They are hitting heads
wherever they see them, and as to the
court decisions. who knows what de-
cisions there are and for what cues
tions can't you find decisions? Like
he leaves in Nallombrosa they are
tumbling in upon US all at once.
But there must be a science OF
Jurisprudence. and all these laws and
decisions must be fitted into 1t. The
lawyers have duties beyond those TO
their clients The science of Jurlspru-
dence in our republic cannot be lett 10
the theorists II must be Translated
into the practical relation with our Sys-
tenn by the influence Of the lawyers
upon the life Of the community.
81 don't believe il true that the bench
Of New York is subject to general
condemnation. As q whole, the bench
=
great obligation that rests upon them,
and, in my opinion, they are fully equal
20 the great traditions, honor and pub
lie service Of the American bar.
In introducing Mr.. Root, William d.
Guthrie, whJ was POSTMASTER, SAID;
Although a great lawyer, Mr.. Roots
place in history will be as a tatesman.
lie will take rank with Hamilton ana
Webster among the upholders ana de-
tenders of constitutional government
He comes back TO private life with a
worldwide reputation as the ablest
American statesman OF to-day
Other speakers, who spoke on. me
general theme of the greatness OF NJ
Root as statesman, lawyer ana man.
we're Joseph II. Choate, Justice George
j.. Ingraham. Justice John !. GIarkei
Justice Aimee +. jerks former Justice
j.
sham. John G. Milburn and Francis
Lynde Stetson.
Mr.. Stetson also took occasion 10
correct what he termed IAN erroneous
impression" that had been gained OF
the address Of D-Cady Herrick to the
State Bar Association.
Somebody in Albany" said Mr.. Stet-
son, took a choice nugget from the
speech Of D-Cady Herrick, which gave
rise TO an erroneous inference tnat
Judge Herrick was making an attack X
on the judges and the bar ! wish TO
correct. as far as possible, that wrong
impression.
dHad YOU been sitting through the
entire speech as did /. you would have
received different impression than
hat which you must have received
from the reported speech. II IS wrong
absolutely wrong. TO charge Mr.. Her
rick with an attack just because he
tried to get the justices of the Supreme
Court appointed by the Chief Justice