A Tribute To Judge Cooley

The following deserved tribute to udge Cooley is founi in the October cribners in Arthur T. Hadley'sRrtiele n " The Railroad in lts Business Eeations: " The president was fortúnate in bis election of commissioners ; above all n the chairman, Judge T. M.. Cooley, f Michigan, a man whose character, powledge of public law, and techuical 'amiliarity with railroad business,made ïim singularly well fltted for the place. 'he work of the Interstate Commission, ïke that of its Massachusetts proto.ype shows how much more important s personal power than mere technical luthority. It was supposed at flrst liat the commission would be a purely dministrativti body, with discretion to mspend the law. Instead of this, they ïave enforced and interpreted it ; and n the process of interpretaron, have irtually created a body of additional aw. which is read and quoted as authonty. With but little ground for execting it f rom the letter o E the act, tiey have become a judicial body of the highest importance. Their existence seems to furmsha possibilty for an elastic development ot transportation law - neither so weak as to be enefective nor so strong as to break by its own rigidity.