66 Resolved, That a committee of one from each Judicial District be appointed to take into consideration the abuses of the contingent fee and report at the next annual meeting its opinion as to what steps, if any, can be taken for the better regulation thereof." Simon W. Rosendale, of Albany: I second the motion. The motion was duly carried. The President: There is now an opportunity to nominate new members of the Association. If any gentleman has a name to propose please hand the name to the Secretary and his own name with it. Edward B. Whitney, of New York, presented the names of J. Aspinwall Hodge, of New York, and Henry M. Powell, of New York. Hampton D. Ewing, of Yonkers, presented the name of Ernest D. Hoes, of New York. The Secretary: Mr. President, I wish to give notice that the action on the proposed amendment to the Constitution will follow the report of a special committee on judicial nominations. I understand reference is made to the proposed amendment in the report that Mr. Fiero referred to and which. will be presented to-morrow morning. Simon Fleischmann, of Buffalo: Mr. President, as there may not be as good an opportunity as this to say just a single word, I would like to say it now and get it out of the way. The matter of law reform is always slow and has to be started early. I think in recent times it has been revealed that there is a glaring defect in our Code of Civil Procedure as it has been construed by most of our Courts, and that relates to the difficulty in getting examination of parties or witnesses before trial for various purposes, and especially with a view of ascertaining who are the proper parties to be sued, in a great many situations which arise, and I would like merely at this time to move that the Committee on Law Reform take up that subject as to any amendment or enlargement of the Code provision relating to the examination of parties or prospective parties or witnesses on trial or suit before or after action commenced, and that they report to us on that subject one way or another a year hence. It is a subject that has attracted a great deal of attention of late and on which there is a great deal to be said, not at this time, but after the Committee on Law Reform considers it for one whole year, and I make that motion. Frank Harvey Field, of New York: I second the motion. The motion was duly carried. On motion of Frank Harvey Field, of New York, the meeting here adjourned to meet in the Assembly Chamber at eight o'clock. EVENING SESSION. ALBANY, N. Y., TUESDAY, January 15, 1907. The Association convened in the Assembly Chamber, in the Capitol, on Tuesday evening, January 15, 1907, at 8 p. m., for the purpose of listening to an address by Hon. Jacob M. Dickinson, of Illinois, on "Centralization by Construction and Interpretation of the Constitution." The President: You will please give your attention while prayer is offered by Bishop Doane. Bishop Doane: Almighty Father, Who sittest on the Throne, that judgest right, Who orderest all things in Heaven and earth, Who hast revealed Thy will alike in the natural laws which cannot be broken, and in the Moral Law which was given to us through Moses and confirmed in Jesus Christ, we beseech Thee to bless this gathering of godly and well-learned men who are met here to take counsel for the exposition and enforcement of judgment, justice and equity. Give them grace and guidance to perceive and know what is wise and well-pleasing to Thee, and courage to fulfil it. Make them, in their separate spheres of duty, wise counsellors to the doubtful, earnest advocates of the right, protectors of the innocent, and ministers of justice to evil-doers. Spread abroad among the people of this land a higher reverence and regard for authority and a readier obedience to law, that so the course of this world may be peaceably ordered by Thy governance, and Thy people may advance in righteousness and true holiness of life to Thy honor and glory through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. The President: Ladies and gentlemen, I have now the great honor of presenting to you the orator of the evening, Judge Dickinson, of Chicago. On behalf of the Bar Association and of the whole profession, I wish to declare our great gratitude to him for being willing to disregard the demands of his great vocation for the time being and to devote the time and thought that was necessary for him to prepare the address that he is to deliver to you to-night. I have been in close touch with Judge Dickinson, I may say, from almost the earliest moment of the beginning of his professional career. It is some twenty-five years since I met him over and over again in the Supreme Court at Washington where he was standing for the United States of America and I for those unfortunate suitors who came in collision with the majesty of the Union itself. I need not say that it required the best efforts on the part of all of his antagonists to present the cases properly before the Court. I have known him since as the general counsel of those great corporations, one of those great transportation companies which, whatever anybody may say, I know have been of immense service to the people of the United States; and later it was my good fortune in London to witness his performance as counsel for the United States. before the great arbitration tribunal which passed upon the Alaska question. He there had to meet the very best counsel that England could call to her service, and all I have to say is that he held his own against them, and that to his logic, eloquence and power was largely due the result which not only brought a favorable conclusion to our contentions there, but brought peace and harmony between us and our neighbors of Canada. Ladies and gentlemen, I have the great honor of presenting to you Judge Dickinson, of Chicago. (Applause.) Jacob M. Dickinson, of Illinois: Ladies, Mr. President and Gentlemen, the first thought that comes to my mind on an occasion like this is to give my grateful acknowledgments for the very distinguished honor of having been invited to address the New York State Bar Association. I think that I was probably carried away by the enthusiasm of the moment when I acceded to the request of your distinguished President, and I am quite sure that if I then could have pictured to my mind this brilliant assemblage, that I would not have had the temerity to accept the invitation. I feel somewhat, as it were, overburdened by the very handsome introduction that has been given to me, and I fear very much that those of you who hear me might upon another occasion speak of me as was said of a friend of mine once, who, being introduced to an audience, the introducer said: "Those of you who have never heard him before will probably be pleased to hear him." (Laughter.) But the time has come, there is no escape, the altar and the victim are here, and I shall proceed and with Horatian directness plunge in medias res. Judge Dickinson delivered the following address: CENTRALIZATION BY CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. The President of the United States in a speech made at Harrisburg on the fourth of last October, after referring to evils springing from the growth and prosperity of the |