REVIEWS. TOWNES' AMERICAN ELEMENTARY LAW. Published by T. H. Flood & Company, Chicago, Ill. This is a volume of 696 pages, divided for convenience of treatment, into five parts. After an appropriate and well written introduction the author devotes part first to the discussion of political power and organization of governments. Part second, is devoted to The United States and state governments and their relations to each. Part third, the law governing the conduct of persons. Part fourth, Procedure, and the Fifth, to the application of general rules, to criminal, tort, and contract law. Within these divisions the author treats of all that the student of the law should find in a first book, and in such a manner that the reader who would fail to comprehend him should quit the effort to master legal principlesthis fact does not arise from any common place language or self-evident statements of the author, but from the fact of his vast knowledge of the subject of which he is treating that his apparent simple language flows simple by reason of the "abundance within," and results "in that plain and concise language, without repetition, and in such a manner as to enable a person of common understanding to know what is intended." Herein lies the great value of this work, not only for the beginner but for all lawyers who desire to keep abreast with the principles of the law-as every lawyer worthy of the name must always be a student and does not ignore elemen tary works that contain the clear law of principle and help him on the ability side of winning cases. There is a number of beginner's books which are excellent: such as Walker's American Law, Robinson's Elementary Law, and later the extensive work of Andrews on American Law, but these works, except the latter, are based on Blackstone. But this book of Professor Townes' goes directly to the source and foundation of American Law; and the author has produced in this volume one of the best productions for the purpose that it was written, that has appeared during the last 25 years. It is the work of a master, an experienced teacher and legal scholar.-a book that should be found in every lawyers library. It contains a well arranged table of contents and copious index. EDITORIALS. THE OKLAHOMA BAR ASSOCIATION. The Oklahoma State Bar Association will meet Dec. 21-22 in Oklahoma City in its annual Session. The President, Judge John H. Burford, has secured for the annual address the Hon. F. D. Siddons, a noted lawyer and scholar of Washington, D C. The following program has been arranged: The Recall of Judges, C. B. Stuart, Oklahoma, City. The banquet will be held on the evening of the 22nd. Judge A. H. Huston, of Guthrie will act toast master. HAVE You yet a copy of David's on THE LAW of MOTOR VEHICLES? If not address us for a copy. It is indispensable wherever an automobile is heard. Price $5. THE NEW COMMERCE COURT. Many influential papers and magazines are much excited over the manifest spirit and tendency of this court, and are pointing to it as as a specimen of the "general welfare" appointments of president Taft. The Boston Monitor, speaking of it says: "Opinion grows here that the action of the commerce court in restraining the order of the Interstate Commerce Commission, putting into effect the long and short haul clause of the act to regulate commerce, will eventually lead Congress to abolish this court." The World Endeavor says: "This court, established through the urgency of Taft, to pass upon appeals from the decisions of the Interstate Commerce Commission, issued on November 9th an order enjoining that commission from enforcing its decrees reducing freight rates in the intermountain States of the West. These lower freight rates were established by the commission after an agitation of more than 20 years waged by inland cities like Spokane against the discrimination made against them by the railroads. The action of the commerce court will be intensely unpopular, and will spur Congress to abolish this court." Ohio elected Democratic mayors in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus, and sends delegates to its Constitutional Convention that will put through the Initiative, Referendum and Recall. Hon. F. A. Thomas, the well known lawyer, and for many years a resident of Blaine county has moved to Wagoner, Oklahoma. The moving of Mr. Thomas however, to a new locality is not due to want of business at his old home, as he had a good and lucrative practice, the reward of his integrity and legal ability; but due to the fact that his two sons and only children who recently graduated from the Kansas University Law School selected Wagoner as the city and county of their choice and he desired to be with them at the outset of their professional careers. So the three have formed a law partnership, secured an elegant suit of rooms and are equipping a first-class law library. Wagoner is not only a flourishing city, but in a county of natural resources, and of good and industrious citizenship. BAR EXAMINATIONS. The State Bar Commission will meet in semi-annual session on December 5th, 1911, for the purpose of examining such applicants as desire admission to the Bar. The examinations will be held in the Supreme Court room in Oklahoma City. The many friends of Hon. Henry E. Asp, will regret to learn that he has been compelled to undergo a serious surgical operation a few days since. At this writing he is reported to be improving, and we most sincerely hope and trust that his life will be spared. Mr. Asp is dearly esteemed by all who know him well, and his loss to his true friends would be deemed a calamity. Among the many noble minded members of the Profession hə has no superior. Mr. Smith was for We regret to report the sad news of the death of Hon. Edgar Smith of the Muskogee Bar. His death was due to an acute attack of pneumonia. many years a member of the distinguished firm of Zeveley, Givens & Smith. He was an able lawyer and a thorough gentleman. THE OKLAHOMA LAW JOURNAL EDITED AND PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY D. H. FERNANDES, GUTHRIE, Oklahoma. December, 1911. VOL. 10. No. 6. THE RECALL OF JUDGES. The editor of The Oklahoma Law Journal does not desire to obtrude' his views on the subject of 'Recall,' at this time, especially when we are on the eve of a full discussion of this question by the best legal talent in Oklahoma, and perhaps by a number of foreign attorneys during the incoming State Bar Association, which is to meet in Oklahoma City on the 21st of this month. This being a subject on the program for discussion. In our experience of sixteen years practice, and nearly ten years of additional close observation of the conduct of trial judges we can call to mind only three instances where judges should and ought to have been 'Recalled' and the recall of this trio written in large caps. We believe that had there been such a law or power of recall in existence at the respective times that these fellows disgraced the bench, and they knew it, they would have placed themselves on the salutary side. So that without arguing the subject ourselves, we believe with the author of a brilliant and strong article just published in an interesting students Magazine of Detroit, known as "The Students Helper; that if such law of recall was once enacted there will be few recalls. The |