Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-11-29

Field. and the Rev. DR.. Henry NJ Field, of
The Evangelist. Mr.. Field was born at Had
dam, Conn. Feb. IS, 1866 graduated at VIII
IlanS college, in 1928; was admitted to the bar
in 1923, ana practiced continuously upto 1853.
As far back US 1889 he wrote a Letter on the
Reform of the Judiciary System" which at
tracted wide attention, and from that
time on has been foremost in the cause
of reforming and codifying the laws. His
completed codes OF civil and criminal pro-
cedure were submitted to the legislature in
1850. His code Of civil procedure was adopt
ed after a hard fight, and his system is now
in operation in twenty.four states and terri
tories. In 1878 Mr.. Field presented his 'Out-
lines of an International Code" to the Social
Science congress. 1t was translated into
various foreign languages and resulted in the
formation of an international association de-
signed to further the adoption Of his project
Though 81 years Of age, Mr.. Field is hale and
vigorous az evor, and no less ardent in the
cause of codification.
Mr.. Field said: IL Is said Of Daniel We'd
ster that. when he woS thinking of be-
coming a lawyer, some one asked him wheth-
pr che legal profession was not overcrowded.
His answer was that there was always room
IN the front rank.
The same answer can be given now by any
one who knows anything Of the profession.
There is, and will always be, room enough in
the front rank. The other ranks are greatly
overcrowded, There is great jostling and
crowding.
There are more lawyers in the United
States in proportion to the population than
in any other country in the world The num-
Der is a little less than 10000 and this for "a
population Of say, GG,Oo0 600.
How does this proportion compare with
that Of other countries! 1t is vastly greater.
] took occasion t-vo or three years ago 10 in
quire about the number OF lawyers IN France
ard Germany. France has Il population OF
$1,000, $50, and has 5000 lawyers and 2,400
officials who do the work Of attorneys with
Us. IN other words, it has one lawyer to
every 4672 persons. Germany has 600 law
yers and 45,0j00Oo population, or one lawyer
to every {, 423 persons.
Last year the commissioners on the reVis-
ion Of the code Of evidence, beng required TO
send copies Of their work to be lawyers Of
this state generally, did ascertain the uanes
ard addresses Of about II coo lawyers in New
York state. The population Of tho state i5
about GOO 600. Any ono can calculate for
himself that the ratio Of law cr3 to the p0pu-
lation Is ! to 40. Ihree-fOuIthe OF the pnpu-
latiOn are women and males under age, and
hence in New York state, there is enc law
Yer 10 every 1876 males Of adult age This Is
simply matter Of calculation, and any one
can make II for himself az wei is l, and con
Judge whether that is ovcrcrowdiug or not.
What is tue ratio Of lawyers to the ponu.a-
ton il the rest of the United Statesf Loss.
should think, than IN the stats OF New York
but according 10 the best calculations / can
make there ere CG,009 lawyers in tho United
States ior population Of, say, G80o1 0Q1,
This calculation, Of course. includes New
York statej That means thai there is orc
lawyer for every 600 Of population, or one
to every 30 mneJ Of full ass.
| attribute this oYercrowdinG to the con-
fusion in the laws and the ignorance Of the
people concerning them. II has gotten 50
now that hardy any mon Of uusness d2res
ushe a contract wi aoAJ consulting his law
yer. You xix tine remedy. IN M opinion,
it is 10 collect, coni5uae aud arrange toe laws
by which the people ere governed in their
daily transactions, in o,uar "ord-r tn maze
Il code for the people. This, though ( ha,o
been working for il during tho last forty
years. has metaI every sCeQ wleh the siEonG