The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-01-02
Legal Hints for Farmers.

To those who contemplate engaging
in a lawsuit no better advice can be
given than that OF Punch to those about
to marry. 1t may be all summed up in
one word-"Dvn't! Better put up
with numerous grievances and petty an
noyances than have a lawsuit with any
one. Better give your neighbor little
more than you think he is rightfully
entitled to, or settle your accounts with
him on the basis of small sum due
him, than let any court settle the Differ
ences between You. There are u great
many reasons why you should do this.
Lawsuits are an expensive luxury, and
should be indulged in only by the
wealthy. But the poor man always
seems to lie lust the one to have more
suits than any other. 1t may be readily
seen Dhy he is poor. If you do have a
suit, in nine cases out of ten the lawyers
will make more out of it than you do,
and what comes out of your pocket
goes into that of the lawyers.
Never imagine the best thing for you
to do is to rush off to the nearest lawyer
and do som thing you may be sorry for.
Matters may lie different from what you
supposed, and then If you have COM
menced suit YOU do not like to retrace
your steps. Nearly half the suits all
over the country are more the result OF
hot-headedness than the basis Of any
legal right.
But by no means are lawyers unneces-
sary, and should never be consulted.
On the contrary, consulting good
lawyer has been. and is, the means OF
keeping many man out of trouble, and
often saves him many dollars The
drawing of papers, deeds, leases, agree
ments, wills, and the settlement OF es-
tates, are among the many things on
which lawyers aid should be sought.
The rule is this: Consult lawyer
enough to keep out of lawsuits, and no
more. Clients are prone 10 exhibit a
spirit of stubbornness in lawsuits, and
maintain they will spend their last cent
simply to prevent their opponent from
doing this or that. They propose to
spend a thousand dollars. because some
other is willing to spend similar
amount. This is poor policy for the
farmer, but an excellent one for the
lawyer.
The most sensible sort of farmer is
the one who has never seen the inside
of courtroom other than as q witness
for some one else, or juror. Courts
and Judges were created ostensibly for
the purpose Of administering justice,
but they often fail in this respect, and
the safest plan is to keep out Of their
way.
Lawsuits, too, engender hard feelings,
no matter how trivial they may be.
Your friendliest neighbor may become
your worst enemy, for no other reason
than you have had a lawsuit with him.
You thereby lose your friend, your
money and your patience, and have
gained nothing, except, perhaps, your
suit. 1t is more likely you have lost it.
Money is stronger in court than the
best case, and the saying: "Laws grind
the poor, and rich men rule the law"
is as true to-day as when uttered.
A fund of common-sense is more es-
sential in dealings with men than any
thing else. Avoid transacting your
business in careless manner. Always
take receipt when you pay money, no
matter whether it is five dollars or five
hundred; it may save your family so
much when you are gone. 1t is every
ones duty to provide for his family
after his death, II he can do so by con-
Quoting his business in a careful man.
ner. Above all, stick to the golden
rule, and you will have no need for
either law or lawyers. On the whole,
having" is the most unsatisfactory
business one can engage in. Even II
you win, you will perhaps think your
lawyer might have sued for more dam
ages; If not that, you will have some
other cause to censure. e.--Addison @.
Mexican, IN Country Gentleman.