The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1892-09-01

| His chief occupation sssails mans
tenderest spOt-his pocket. His no.
blest victory is another's sore defeat
His grsndest triumph meals, per-
haps, financial ruin To his foe
| emptation lies in wait for him on
every side Base, sOTdii and design
ing men continually seek to use his
skill and talent to secure successful
issues Of their vilest Vaccinations.
His sternest duty compels associa-
ton with the most deprsved, while
human JiOfs do strive to stain his
record for sake Of future gain. Envy.
greed aud malice strike hands to
block his path. The greater his EN-
inence the more bitter his opposi-
ton. The higher his advancement
the more numerous obstacles con
front him. The more unsullied his
reputation, the more determined be-
comes malignity to tarnish 1t. His
foibles are harshly criticized, his
frailties are exaggerated and his
faults magnified. Whatever Of
merit il conceded him Is grudgingly
granted with a "but." Whatever
error he commits Dame Rumor
sends her h-etest messengers to
spread abroad. Defeat brings him
no sympathizing friend, but often
moves even his client TO turn aud
rend him.
This being true, Is IL strange that
the lawyer should be misjudged by
the ignorant, the stupid aud the un-
discerning? Or, that the educated,
intelligent aud refined should often
be unjust TO the profession?
a lawyer has been defined to be:
"One who passes his time In taking
advantage Of contemporaries" This
definition IL but the natural out
growth Of the popular dis
belief In the average lawyers hon.
esty aud Integrity. No one denies
that some dishonest aud dishOnor-
able men practice law, aud that
tricksters and pettifoggers may be
found Ia the ranks. There never
yet was profession, class, society or
association that had other than an
epheineral existence, that failed To
gather discrrditable members. The
greater the profit To be gained, the
higher the honor TO be reached, the
more numerous are the unworthy
applicants. Vet II were gross inJus.
tice To visit upon the entire member.
ship the sins Of the disreputable few.
When a minister OF the Gospel
with wife aud family Of children,
pursuades some woman In his con-
gregation to abandon her husband
and little ones aud elope with him,
we do not revile tn. clergy nor pro.
hibit pastoral calls. When n doctor
IL 81 dishonorable as To seek the ruin
Of n patient, We neither blame the
medical profession nor forbid phy-i-
wv NNFiA WI wv Nph-
slider them isolated cases, aud argue
them To be simply exhibitions Of
individual deprsvity that would
have manifested itself la any walk
IN life.
But when some miserable petit.
logger, whose habits, whose general
conduct, whose countenance should
prevent any reasonable man from re-
posing confidence In him, betrays =
client, every scoundel who has been
prosecuted for crime, every Perjurer
whose false testimony has been
scathingly denounced, and many
reputable citizens who have been
sadly disappointed Ia the result Of
lawsuits la which they had personal
interests, exultlngly refer to 10 a-
another example Of the dishonesty
OF "these rascally lawyers"
The jury which ADULTS murderer, u
whom the evidence has proven
guilty to the satisfaction Of every
body else, will be heard condemning
lawyers for aiding criminals TO svade
justice. The defsuiting bank-cash-
Ter, who has just escaped the pen.
itentiary by the Persevering efforts,
the untiring energy aud the eminent
ability Of his counsel, can, within q
month, be heard deneuncing law ers
rs robbers. The client who has
shamefully misrepresented his case
to his counsel, when seeking advice,
after the trial L. loud la his abuse OF
the lawyer who led him into q losing
lawsuit. The defendant who has
been. positively Informed that the
law 10 against him, aud rho refused
TO hearken To the advice Of counsel
fsvoriug q compromise, seeks solsce
In defeat by charging his lawyer
with having sold him out.
Every well Informed person knows
that no class OF men 10 subjected to
such frequent aud powerful tempta.
tions to dishonesty as the average
lawyer. Where others readily yield
he slubbornly refuses to surrender.
He not only protects himself from
dishonor, but many times compels
his client to be honest. No one
knows better than the lawyer,
that It pays to be honest; and when
9 lawyer lacks principle sufficient to
protect his integrity, policy general
ly comes to the rescue. The lawyer
can claim no credit for being honest
from motives Of policy; but he had