Simply by going back to the old ideals, by making it understood that law is law, and is to be upheld by all, and executed impartially against all alike; by making it plain that "grafting" is synonymous with stealing; that tampering with legislation is bribery within the definition of the statutes; that wealth acquired by dishonest methods is so much money stolen, and that all methods which exclude fair and open dealing between man and man are dishonest, and all men who employ dishonest methods, whether it be in the direction of bribing officials, of looting competitors, of tampering with stock reports, corporation reports or other reports, of withholding dividend reports, of making false reports of any kind, of using the suggestio falsi or the suppressio veri for their gain at the expense of others, of handling the property or credit. of others entrusted to them for their own benefit and not for the benefit of the real owners, are, whether their wealth amounts to thousands or to millions, whether they dwell in palaces or not, merely thieves, and to be dealt with as such.

Let us begin by cleansing our Legislative halls of the parasites who swarm there only to do the bidding of their masters. Let us make it plain that the pathway of the briber and the bribed alike, lead to the grated door of the penitentiary; and to make a beginning, let us do away with euphemistic terms: call a spade a spade, and a thief a thief. Let us sternly and relentlessly drive from the public service all men, however high their positions, who, holding the brief of the people, are the secret advocates of the people's adversaries. If this is not done in time if we wait until the current of popular indignation. and of just indignation with this class whose evil deeds we are discussing, with these false agents of the people whose corruption is now the common talk of the public,

shall accumulate, however it may be dammed up for a time, it will in time break from its bounds, and when it comes there will be a flood which will destroy the just with the unjust and may destroy all law and order. This is the danger, gentlemen of the Bar; it is a real danger, the magnitude of which can scarcely be exaggerated.

On the purging ourselves of this evil of commercialism with its accompanying canker of corruption depends the safety of the Republic. But I do not despair. The American people have ere this survived greater dangers. We should not forget that while the golden calf was being set up for worship at the foot of the mountain, the Divine Law, on which rests all later statutes, was being promulgated on the top of the mount.

One of the most distinguished members of your Bar, a former Chief Judge of your State, declared not long since in a notable letter that there were abundant powers to punish evildoers of all kinds under the present laws of the country, and this opinion was fortified by that of a late attorney-general of the United States, as it will be fortified by the opinion of every thoughtful lawyer.

What we need is not more law, but more observance of law; not stronger statutes, but a more rigid enforcement of them. We need, as a profession, to make it understood of all men that the Law is a profession and not a business; a Science and not a trade. We need, as a People, to purge ourselves of the element of corrupt lawbreakers and law-makers; to purify the atmosphere of commercialism and its foul offspring which are usurping the place of honor and are eating into our national life; to set up once more the old ideals of honest and righteous dealing; once more to place character above wealth and patriotism above commercial prosperity. (Applause.)

Everett P. Wheeler, of New York:

Mr. President, in accordance with an honored custom of the Association, and in recognition of the paper which we have just listened to with so much interest, I move that Mr. Thomas Nelson Page, of Washington, be elected an honorary member of the Association.

Rastus S. Ransom, of New York:

I second that motion.

The President:

You have heard the motion, in recognition of the great service he has done for us, that Mr. Thomas Nelson Page be elected an honorary member of the Association.

The motion was unanimously carried.

Mr. Page:

Gentlemen, I thank you.

Frank Harvey Field, of New York:

Mr. President, I think that the paper ought to be distributed in the same manner as the President's address is distributed, and I move that the Secretary have 5,000 copies of this paper printed and distributed with the President's address.

The motion was duly seconded and carried.

The President:

Gentlemen, the discussion on the subject of Mr. Page's paper will be taken up at this afternoon's session.

A recess was here taken until 2.15 P. M.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

WEDNESDAY, January 16, 1907.

The President:

The Association will come to order. If Mr. Adams is present, the first business will be the report of the Committee on Judicial Nominations.

Elbridge L. Adams, of New York, read the report as follows:

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS.

January 15, 1907.

To the New York State Bar Association:

The Special Committee, appointed to consider the selection of candidates for nomination as Justices of the Supreme Court, pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Executive Committee in August last, submits the following report, supplementing that already made:

Immediately after receiving notification of the appointment of the Committee notices were issued to the several members named by the President of the Association to assemble at Albany on September 4, 1906. A number of the members met at the time designated and organized by the selection of a Chairman and Secretary. The conditions which called for the appointment of the Committee having been discussed, an address was issued by the Committee to the members of this Association, a copy of which is appended.

The members of the Committee from the several districts were requested to place themselves in communication with the political parties in their districts, with a view of carrying out the policy announced in this address, and the Chairman undertook to communicate with the leaders of the several political parties in the First and Second Judicial Districts. Letters of acknowledgment were promptly received from most of the persons addressed, and Messrs. Herbert Parsons, Timothy L. Woodruff, Charles F. Murphy and George B. McClellan expressed a willingness to confer with the Committee with regard to nominations. Mr. P. H. McCarren, however, indicated an unwillingness to so confer, on the ground that he objected to the dictation of nominations or to the arrogation to itself by the Committee of the selection of candidates.

A part of the correspondence is attached to this report, as being of possible value for future reference.

On September 14, 1906, the Committee met at New York and designated the members of the Committee residing in the several judicial districts as a special committee for their respective districts to take such action concerning nominations for Justices of the Supreme Court as shall best tend to secure the nomination of competent men for the positions, pursuant to the policy outlined in the address adopted at the meeting held on September 4, 1906, and the Chairman and Secretary of the Committee were made ex-officio members of each district committee. A circular letter to this effect was forwarded to each member of the. Committee.

The sub-committee for the First Judicial District thereupon conferred with Mr. Herbert Parsons, the Chairman of the Republican County Committee, with results that were entirely satisfactory.