The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-11-15
The LAWS DELAYS
Some Food for Thou CHIT for Lawyers, Law
men and Legislators.

men and Legislators.
The Impotence of the people caused
by the laws delays-an abuse Older
than Shakespeare-and the devious
and costly methods By which justice is
approached, although not always
reached. have made the courts scott
ing and the members of an honorable
profession a by-word among the
masses AS in all such cases, the
shafts directed at abuses have some
times gone astray and wounded inno-
cent persons, bnt, while lawyers vince
and protest that they are misrepre-
scented, there are few among them
ready to deny that such abuses in the
methods of bench and bar exist
1t is not. however. often that so frank
an exposure of these evils has been
made by one within the arcana Of the
profession as that given By David Dud-
ley Field. the retiring president of the
American Bar Association. in his ad-
dress delivered before that body at
Chicago. He said:
In respect of our duties to the state, insist
that we are far behind in the performance OF
them. We are d boastful people: we make no
end of saying what great things We have done
and are doing. and yet behind these brill. ant
shows there stands a specter Of halt ng just &c,
such as is to be seen in no other part OF Chris
tendon. So far as ! am aware, there is no
other country calling itself civilized where it
takes so long to punish a criminal and so
many years 10 get final decision between man
and man. Truly we MY say that just &c
passes through the land on leaden sandals.
One of our most Trustworthy journalists as
serts that more murderers are hung by mobs
every year than are executed in the course OF
law. And yet we have, it is computed, nearly
$4,000 lawyers in the country. France, with a
population Of 4v00A,00A, has 5000 lawyers and
2,4D0 other officials. who do the work of atIor-
neys with US. and Germany, with a population
OF 5000. t'0a, has in the same category 1000.
Thus the proportion of the legal element is in
France. TO 4,76.: in Germany, to 6.423. in
| the United Sta1es TO 900. Taking all ese
figures together, is it anv wonder that cyn:C
should Say that we American lawyers talk more
and speed less than any other equal number Of
men known TO history:
Here is food enough for thought for
lawyer, layman and legislator. What
| the country seems to need is less law
learning shall be put to the severest
test before their admission. whose
character shall be closely scrutinized
and who shall practice under sys-
| tenn which insures instant disbarment
As the penalty of dishonorable dealing.
Such men would prevent litigation
where shys.ers create it. Then we
need judges of learning, dignity and
stern moral fber-divorced from poll
tics, knowing neither friendships nor
enmities where judicial duty is con-
cerned, and who will crush the lawyer
who attempts pettifogging or charlie
tanry. Above all, We need Legis-
latures which will not attempt to deal
with matters they do not understand
will not pass laws for political eff ct.
and will be honest. consistent and in
| telligent
When we secure all these things we
shall have prompt justice-and the
millennium. Detroit Free Press.