istrators of the law. Unjust laws and unjust administration of the law make for public lawlessness by destroying respect for the "Majesty of the law." Public lawlessness is but an echo of official lawlessness. We have become the most lawless of all civilized nations because of the waning faith in the Divinity of Christ and in the verity of the divinely inspired admonishments of the Holy Prophets of Israel; because the masses have lost faith in the honesty of our public officials and in the incorruptibility of our courts; because loyalty to party leaders is placed above loyalty to country; because of official protection given to crooks in office and to the political pimps of party bosses; because the poor man can not afford to employ "smart" lawyers skilled in sophistical juggling with legal technicalities; and because the average American lawyer generally ignores the fact that as an "officer of the court" he should be bound by his oath of office always to uphold the law and never to strive to defeat justice. Americans as a whole are not inherently more criminal in their impulses and predispositions than are other civilized peoples, and yet for a generation and more we have been the most lawless of all civilized peoples, and the unprecedented criminality that is now making for bloody revolution can not be prevented from ending in the downfall of our Republic if our public officials fail equitably and fearlessly to enforce the law, and so to restore respect for the majesty of the law. So long as we have one law for the rich man and another law for the poor man (see pp. 7 and 8 of the said Pamphlet dated May 1, 1922)-so long as our statesmen preach but do not practice the doctrine of the "square deal"--just so long shall crime continue to increase, and the radical socialists and other advocates of impracticable economic doctrines continue to find ready followers. When highest officials of our National Government do not scruple to violate their oaths of office in protecting dishonest subordinates that happen to have "friends at court"; when official grafters, prosperous profiteers, and others of like kidney make a jest of national honor and sneer at honest men that urge the application of moral principles in governmental affairs, it is futile to expect the ignorant and criminally disposed and other more or less mentally ill-balanced members of our social complex to be law-abiding. The crushing burden of vast armaments, the unequal distribution of wealth consequent on the failure of governments adequately to safeguard the rights of labor, and the lawlessness of public officials, even more than the ruinous cost of defeating German militarism, have brought about a condition of social unrest in all civilized countries that is ominous in the extreme. Civilization itself is gravely endangered by the growing disposition of the more or less ignorant masses to seek relief from the hardships of their economic disabilities by grasping the powers of government. And if the world is to be saved from the horrors of another great war consequent on proletarian revolt in Europe or on German dominancy in Russia and Siberia it is patently necessary that the principles of justice shall prevail and that the English-speaking peoples shall cooperate to maintain world peace. Consequently, anything that tends to promote good will between this country and Great Britain, or to convince the British people that American statesmen sincerely desire to uphold the lofty traditions of our country and race-anything, in fact, that may, if never so little, make for British respect for America—is of more than passing importance. And because of such necessity if not for other reasons it is in every way desirable that this Rio Grande claim should promptly be heard-in camera if possible-and then promptly be paid. Mr. Nathan Boyd to the Secretary of State. 713 WOODWARD BLDG., Washington, D. C., March 29, 1923. The Hon. CHARLES E. HUGHES, Secretary, The Department of State, Washington, D. C. SIR (In re The Rio Grande Claim): Because of his unprofessional conduct and gross abuse of my confidence, I have been constrained formally to dismiss Mr. John Stuart Hunt from my service in the above-captioned cause, and therefore I have officially to inform you that he is not now one of the attorneys "of counsel" in this case. Yours faithfully, NATHAN BOYD, Receiver The Rio Grande Irrigation & Land Co. (Ltd.). EXTRACTS FROM THE RECORD, UNITED STATES v. THE RIO GRANDE DAM & IRRIGATION CO. AND THE RIO GRANDE IRRIGATION & LAND CO. (LTD.). Deed between the Rio Grande Dam & Irrigation Co. and the Rio Grande Irrigation & Land Co. (Ltd.).1 This indenture made the thirtieth day of May, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-six, between The Rio Grande Dam & Irrigation Co., a corporation organized under and by virtue of the laws of the Territory of New Mexico and the provisions of an Act of the Legislative Assembly of the said Territory, approved February twenty-fourth, one thousand eight hundred and eightyseven, and to all laws amendatory thereof, party of the first part, and the Rio Grande Irrigation & Land Co. (Ltd.), a corporation organized under Companies Acts, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 1862 to 1890, party of the second part. Whereas the Government of the United States of America did, on the first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and ninetyfive, grant unto the party hereto of the first part, certain exclusive rights, privileges, franchises, and concessions to be exercised and enjoyed in the manner and within the area hereinafter set forth, to appropriate the waters of the Rio Grande river, to erect dams, weirs, ditch heads, canals, reservoirs, and all other works in connection with irrigation, for public and private purposes, and in connection with the said purposes, to locate, establish, and maintain rights of way for the conveyance of water over certain public and private lands mentioned hereinafter, together with the right and privilege to occupy all lands subject to overflow by reason of the erection of the aforesaid dams and reservoirs, canals, and other irrigation works, and fifty (50) feet on both sides of the said waterways and canals, and the right of taking and using from such lands such timber, earth, and stone as may be needed in constructing any of the aforesaid works, and any works and buildings in connection therewith, and: Whereas the party of the first part has, in consideration of divers valuable considerations, agreed to enter into these presents, now, therefore: This Indenture Witnesseth, that the said party of the first part, for and in consideration of the rents, covenants and agreements 1 [See Transcript of Record before the Supreme Court of the United States, October Term, 1898, No. 215, pages 63 to 71.-Agent's note.] 37973-23- 42 655 |