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have taken the trouble to inform us that, for instance, the grievance which arises from differences in the legislation of various states regarding marriage and divorce is not such a grievance as would come within the province of the committee. It seems to me that it was very unnecessary to tell us that. It seems to me that it is pretty well understood what grievances would come within the purview of the Committee on Grievances. Now, it is very possible that in the precise case about which we know nothing there was a usurpation of power on the part of the Hawaiian judge. In that event, if my surmise were rightly based upon the fact, it seems to me it would be proper for this Association to adopt some resolution disapproving of the conduct of the judge. The committee say that private grievances, in their opinion, cannot engross the attention of the Association, but it seems to me that every grievance which really would come properly before the Committee on Grievances would involve a private wrong. Imagine, for instance, that one of the members of this Association should be guilty of disloyalty to a client, of unprofessional conduct of a grievous character, and that the client should report his grievance to the Committee on Grievances. Would it not be within the province of the Committee on Grievances to recommend that that man be deprived of his privilege of membership here?

So that it is the reasoning of the committee in this report and some of the statements which they make in it which I think are not correct that have led me to rise and object to the adoption of the report.

The President:

Is there further debate? If not, the motion to receive and approve the report will be put.

The motion was adopted.

The report of the Committee on Obituaries is next in order. The report of the Committee on Obituaries was read by the Secretary as Chairman of the committee.

(See the Report in the Appendix.)

The President:

Next in order is the report of the Committee on Law Reporting and Digesting.

The report was read by Edward Q. Keasbey, of New Jersey. (See the Report in the Appendix.)

Ralph W. Breckenridge, of Nebraska :

I concur in the report to the extent that it calls attention to what might be done by the judges of many of our courts if they would eliminate from their opinions much that is useless. and pads the reports, and I am of the opinion that if their attention was sharply called to the views entertained by the Bar of the United States they themselves could and would do very much to minimize the evil of the multiplication of reports which now burden our shelves.

I am not in favor of conferring upon judges the discretion to select from their opinions those which are to be officially reported and those which are not to be officially reported, and believe it unwise for the opinions of any court of last resort to be buried. The Bar must have access to the opinions filed in all cases decided in courts of last resort. The opinions of courts which Mr. Keasbey refers to as courts of first instance may be very helpful in many cases, but they have not the value of the opinions of courts of last resort, and it is not necessary that any considerable portion of such opinions should be published.

My dissent from the views of the majority of the committee is upon their proposition to give the judges discretion to select from among their opinions those which should be reported and those which should not be reported.

Charles Borcherling, of New Jersey:

I move that the report be accepted and filed.

The President:

Unless there is objection, it will take that course.

The Association then adjourned to Wednesday, September 28, 1904, at 10 A. M.

THIRD DAY.

Wednesday, September 28, 1904, 10 A. M.

The President called the Association to order.

New members were then elected.

(See List of New Members.)

The President:

The Secretary calls my attention to the fact that this makes 198 new members elected at this meeting.

Ferdinand Shack, of New York:

We all heard yesterday with pleasure the valuable report of the Committee on International Law. Mr. Wheeler called attention to the prominent part taken by this Association in the advocacy of international arbitration and to the resolutions adopted on the subject in 1896, 1897 and 1899, and he also made mention of the encouraging events of the present year, the meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in this city and the International Peace Conference to be held in Boston in October. At the time that report was prepared no doubt the very important action of the Inter-Parliamentary Union had not yet been taken. We are all aware of what that body has done, and we may look forward to very great progress in the movement for the settlement of controversies without resort to arms. I beg leave to offer the following resolution:

Resolved, That this Association hereby expresses its deep gratification at the steps recently taken by the Inter-Parliamentary Union toward the settlement of controversies between nations in the same manner as disputes between individuals are settled, that is, by judgment in accordance with recognized principles of law, and this Association records its great satisfaction at the announcement by the President of the United States of his intention to comply with the request made to him by the Inter-Parliamentary Union that he invite the nations to a conference.

The resolution was seconded and was adopted.

The President:

The next order of business is the report of the Committee on Patent, Trade-Mark and Copyright Law, of which Mr. Wetmore, of New York, is Chairman.

William A. Ketcham, of Indiana:

I think Judge Taylor is the only member of that committee present, and he is not in the hall at the moment, and I would suggest that the report of that committee be passed for the present.

The President:

The Chair is proceeding a little prematurely, for these reports come up under the head of unfinished business. The first business of the morning should be a report from the General Council on the nomination of officers.

Amasa M. Eaton, of Rhode Island, Chairman of the General Council:

The General Council have the honor of reporting, recommending the election of the following officers of the Association: For President: Henry St. George Tucker, of Virginia. For Secretary: John Hinkley, of Maryland.

For Treasurer: Frederick E. Wadhams, of New York. For members of the Executive Committee to be elected: P. W. Meldrim, of Georgia;

Platt Rogers, of Colorado;

M. F. Dickinson, of Massachusetts;
Theodore S. Garnett, of Virginia;

William P. Breen, of Indiana;

they being the present incumbents. Also the following VicePresidents and members of the various Local Councils, which

I will ask the Secretary to read.

The list of Vice-Presidents and members of Local Councils was read by the Secretary.

The President:

Under the rule these nominations will lie over until we have disposed of the rest of the business before the meeting.

We will now listen to the report of the Committee on Uniform State Laws, of which Mr. Eaton is Chairman.

Amasa M. Eaton, of Rhode Island, then read the report of the Committee on Uniform State Laws.

(See the Report in the Appendix.)

Charles F. Libby, of Maine:

I move that the report be received and the recommendations adopted.

The motion was seconded and was adopted.

William L. January, of Michigan :

About ten years ago the American Bar Association held an annual meeting in Detroit and many gentlemen here who attended that meeting well remember the delightful atmosphere and enjoyable breezes as compared with the heat of the past two days in St. Louis. I have received a communication from the Mayor of the city of Detroit extending an invitation to this Association to meet there in 1905. I have also received a communication from the President of the Detroit Bar Association extending an invitation and from the President of the State Bar Association co-operating with the Detroit Bar Association. In behalf of the Board of Commerce, the largest board of its kind, perhaps, in the Middle West, I have an invitation urging this Association to do the city of Detroit the distinguished honor of meeting there in 1905. I herewith present the letters and invitations and ask that the same may be referred to the Executive Committee. I can only add that we hope you will accept the hospitality of Detroit and come there next year. The President:

The matter will be referred to the Executive Committee.

Amasa M. Eaton, of Rhode Island:

I wish to state that the eastern members of the Association earnestly desire the Association to meet at Narragansett Pier, in Rhode Island, next summer. It is a delightful spot, and lawyers from the West and from the South and from the interior of the country will be charmed with Narragansett Pier.

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