Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-11-10
ARnrrRArIoN ANp LIrIeAEIoN.

The London chamber OF commerce re
Gently adopted the following significant res
o,ution: That this meeting request the
council OF the chamber TO urge the foreign
Office to eOmmgpiea.e with the governments
ofaT the States in which tribunals Of COM
merce are in operation, requesting them to
bring in a law or to take such steps as may
De necessary to make arbitration clauses.
The uninidated in commercial life may
rot at once see the drift Of this resolution,
but when We say that it is a movement In
the direction Of abating the nuisance and
leases Of litigation in TIE business circles Of.
the world they viii appreciate its import
ance.
We believe it was Of a lawyer that PETER
Il GREAT, Of Russia, while on a visit to
western Europe, said that he had but one in
his empire and he proposed to hang him
when he got home. Such a summary dis
position OF a very learned and, in many re.
specss, noble profession woald not be Gdvisa-
bic in the existing condition of society.
More or less lawyeCs-less, or fewer, rather
than more-wil be needed for some time to
come, but there can be no question that a
vas. majority Of the men5ers Of this pro
feSsion would be more useful to the world
and would do less mischief it they fol-
lowed other ~ayocationS. Probably,
however. they do less harm as the
Interpreters Of the law, and as coInsellors
and advocates than they DO as Legislators.
What Solomon said Of books is ru Of stat
utes, Of the making Of then there IS no end.
Scores and hundreds of euactnIents are
spawned upon society every year in every
legislative chamber. In addition to these
we have the rulings AMI decisions Of courS
which, very comGo.ls arc treated as il
they were laws in thsa.elyes, being re
gsrded as the Interpretation OF law; aai
all this vast aggcesate Of statutes, rulings
AID decisions IS supposed to be ?a: in the
keeping of the legal fraternity to De en-
ployed for the defense aud weltara o!
society.
Now the question suggested 81 the resi-
tuition adopted b. the London Chamber 0.
Commerce is Can society &c. along with
fewer laws and less lawyers? Is there no;
an enormous excess Of litigation? Would
itrc, be wise to take steps FOR the discouT-
aCem5nt of litigation? So ES as he list
inquiry concerns the business life Of the
world tits maniiestly the opiaion of he Loa-
don Chamber Of Commerce that
it should be aEswred in the affirm
a,ire. We can not, Of course, expect
Uyr friends, the lawyers, 10 take this view OF
the matter. Their livelihood aud prosperity
depend upon litigation. The more disputes
over wills and bills, over contracts and
leases, over notes and mortgages, over tres
rasses and infriugemehts, the better 1t Is
for them. It is natural therefore, that many
but not a~ll-sEould encourage quarrels
and litigation. There are members OF the
profession WHO Wall uOL NSc tuCA AH"NNANN
for the miserable work OF fomenting wrang-
ling aud dragging neighbOrs into law
suits with each other. There are lawyers
who have made it q rule to recommend
settlements, especially between individuals
who would be embarrassed by the payment
Of fees, costs and possibly heavy judgments.
These men are an honor to their profession
and to society. They are generally es-
teeued and pa~tronized according to their
worth. On the other hand, there are many
lawyers who, if they do not ineite quarres
show no disposition to allay them except
through the expensive processes Of Etiga,
ton.
The wise and prudent man never begins
or contests a lawsuit if there is a feasible
way of adjusting the difference in dispute
without one. Arbitration is steadily grow,
Ing in popularity as a substitute, especially
in commercial circles. Perhaps in this
way, as in many others, commerce is going
to prove a blessing to society.