The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1889-10-10
THE LAWS DELAYS.
Some Food for Thought for Lawyers, Law
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 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, but, while lawyers vince
and protest that tney are misrepre-
scented. there are few among them
ready to deny that such abuses in the
methods OF bench and bar exist
1t is moi, 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, I insist
tina. we are far behind in The performance OF
them. We are boastful people; we make no
end OF saying what great things we have done
and are doing. and yet behind these brilliant
shows there stands a specter of hating justice,
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 1t
takes so long TO punish a criminal and so
many years 10 get final decision between man
and man. Truly we may say that justice
passes through the land on ieaden sandals.
One OF our most trustworthy journalists
scrtS that more murderers are hung by mobs
every year than are executed in the course OF
law. And yet we have, 1t is computed, nearly
1000 lawyers in the country France, with 6
population Of 4a,eo0,oo1 mas 1900 lawyers and
., 400 other officials. VINO DO the work OF stior-
neys with US, and Germany. with 3 population
OF s5,0lo 900, has in the same category 1000.
Thus the proportion of the legal element is in
France, to 400: in Germany. 10 6.ss3; in
the United States. / TO 900. Taking all these
figures together, is Il any wonder that cync
should say that we American lawyers talk more
and speed less than any other equal number of
men known 10 history
Here is food enough for thought for
lawyer. layman and legislator What
the country seems TO need is less law
and better law; fewer lawyers, whose
learning shall be put to the seyerest
Jest ISlOTS their auHlLSSiDu. WHOsS
character shall be closely scrutinized
and who shull practice under a sys-
TEN which insures instant disbarment
as the penalty of dishonorable dealing.
Such men would prevent litigation
where shysters create it Then we
need judges of learning, dignity and
stern moral fiber-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 viii not attempt to deal
with matters they do not understand.
will not pass laws for political effect.
and will be honest consistent and in
telligent.
When we secure all these things We
shall have prompt justice-and the
millennium -Datrnif Eraa Press