Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-12-28
THE LAWYER OF TO-DAY.
Changes Wrought In tho Profession IN tn
last Hair Century.

Changes Wrought In tho Profession IN the
last HAIR Century.
"rhere Is as mitch learning here In
the legal profession as ever, but IL is
not on exhibition" said Philadelphia
lawyer. "In the first place the courts
will not countenance its undue display.
In old times an advocate was allowed
great latitude. Formerly, In d case OF
damages caused by neglected side
walk, the attorney would be allowed
TO expound not only the laws relating
20 damages for neglect but he might
stray off into the realms of medical
Jurisprudence at great length, and even
perorate with an allusion TO the magma
charter, the constitution and the Amer
lean eagle At present a lawyer must
confine himself TO the real merits of his
case. The machinery Of our courts has
grown too costly TO permit such waste
OF Hhe. II follows that there is less
oratorical skill displayed than in former
days, especially at the period when
some of our leading lawyers made
speciality of criminal defense. Now,
few lawyers of eminence, either In
PHILADELPHIA or the east generally, un-
dertake the defense in a criminal case.
To-day the practice of law, like
other professions, is becoming more and
more specialized. A law Office is simply
business office, as you may discover
by visiting some OF the handsome new
Office buildings down town. know Of
one Office where there are several part
ners, that would remind you of bank
ing Office, and where n boolSkeeper and
cashier is employed to pay Off
clerks, typewriters and other en-
ployes. You will, however, still
find veteran members of the bar
pursuing old-time methods in n cosy,
quiet Office, sitting at n baize-covered
table, amid a wilderness of we'll
thumbed books They carry dark
green bag filled with briefs when they
go to court, precisely as all lawyers did
fifty years ago, and as London barris-
ters still do.
"As to young lawyers, however tai
ented they may be, II without social or
political prestige their struggle to adj
vance in the profession is sure 10 be n
hard one. Practice now is often inher-
lleu UT lIduHiulNlGu III noult bAitE NhNs
could point out 10 you in Philadelphia
law firms that have been confined TO
the members of one family or its col
lateral branches, since the revolution.
81 may say that there is an evident
impetus TO change many useless old
legal methods. The remark of Lord
Coleridge, when in this country, that
there were many volumes of English
legal decisions which IL would do no
harm TO destroy, would answer as the
handspring of this impetus. Legisla-
tion is certainly advancing in this, that
merely experimental general laws are
passed with greater difficulty than for
merly."
Another lawyer, older than the other,
said: Progress in the legal profess
sion? Progress is hardly term to
apply to law, for IL Is founded on prece-
dents, sometimes the older the better
For this reason Jurisprudence is the
least progressive OF the sciences Still
there have been, no doubt, improve
inents in methods of practice, though I
am not much OF code lawyer have
had to study hard all my life. The
younger lawyers appear TO do little of
that They seem 20 believe, with
Aaron Burr, that law is whatever Is
boldly advanced and plausibly main
tanned. '"-Philadelphia Record.