The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-07-06
Press Associations

Court since us OrIgih aS h"o worlds most powerful judicial
 tribunal.
 United Press Associations
 By JOHN A. REICHMANN United Press Stan Correspondent
 Washington, July 6. (UP)-The mills of justice under the guidance of the Supreme Court grind slow Nv but steadily and the average citizen is unaware of the tribunal operations until some question of national policy is before 1t.
 Thousands of cases have been decided since the justices first met in New York city in 179o, attired in impressive red and black robes and went to a tavern late Tn the first day for dinner because there was NO business.
 Each of it's early decisions was watched with a jealous eye by the .'founding fathers" They knew what they had intended the con- stitution to mean and sometimes were amazed and often angry with the interpretations put on 1t by the tribunal.
 Tn the intervening 145 years, the ccurt has built up body Of law thnt gives it, according to critics, a free hand to approve or condemn the acts of Congress and presidents alike. Only in a few instances has 1t come into popular discussion such as revolves around the court today.
 Few Cases Interest Public
 For this reason the public gen. orally regards only a few of its decisions as important, and in so doing thinks only of the famous cases.
 Tn the public mind. four cases stand out. They are the cases which led to the most dispute. They are:
 The Dred Scott decision.
 The Legal Tender cases.
 The Income Tax cases.
 The Child Labor decision.
 The decision in the Dred Scott : case caused Abraham Lincoln, in his debates with Douglas. to de- nounce the courts action and to spIedge himself to have it reversed. Nt was, by adoption of the Four teenth Amendment, but only at the cost of the Civil War.
 The Dred Scott decision held that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories and that Dred Scott, a Nrogro, could not sue in the United States courts as a citizen.
 The Legal Tender cases arose after the Civil War and involved the right to make paper currency legal tender for all debts. The courts personnel had been reduced to seven to prevent the naming of two new judges by President John- son.
 Justices Increased to Nine
 After his term had passed, the number was restored to nine, but President Grant had not filled the < two seats when the case was argued and decided. The court rul- cd against the validity of the act by d four to three votes.
 The day the decision was rem dered Grant send the names of two new members to the senate 1ALIa ltlGy WSlV SOAihA hAtas
 Meanwhile the nations business was disrupted. The two new judges were seated and reargument o1 case was ordered. On a. new deci- eIon, the court held, five to four that the act was valid. The two newly appointed members joined with the three who had previously disEented to make the majority Of i've.
 Tax Cases Argued Twice
 The income tax cases also were argued twice, important provisions of the law being decided by a tic vote because only eight members z,assed on the case. The justice <R1ae did not participate the first time because of illness voted tC uphold the law. The point of criti' slsm centered on the fact that ont zaember, presumably Justice Shir' ss. changed his vote on reargu' H1ent.
 The public grievance against thu accIsion lay in the fact that it be- 1ame necessary to enact consti' x.1fional amendment, after years o' <pafting. because one member oI 4 inc court changed his mind wher confronted twice with the sam' auestions.
 The Child Labor decision wal crifsxed chiefly because of thu restriction it put on interstate com merce. With only a one-vote mar 3in separating the tribunal. thos' Who had worked for the law fell much aegrieved and generally arr convinced that a similar question today would be decided differently
 Historians count as importan s11any cases not familiar to the pub Izc. These include
 tfarbury V. Madison, decided iI <z65. The court struck down q law &11I1r at the power to issue man. <e nttn proceedlngs on the ground /zxl fhe anf sought Co eniarGe thu .Su<<,s DoWor beyond the lines de [T1f fn tIse Constitution. IIsrnlIoeh q. Maryland in whief AS court upheld the power cl I1nzfasa 60 ipeeFpoEate bani .ua forbade k.e e.eviana te tax it. !. ('Ihhonn v. ogden an wnlch .|&IAHeI| hpi|t no 8 F#@eRin4 a.n. 1E<|nn 1( "foHlHffn&t #Hith uhs <4>aHmen@ Hf'&Hf ff#u'eif'
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