The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-08-14
APOLIs. MIMI. WEDNESDAY, AUG, II. 1895
CORPORATION LAWYERS.
WHEN MADE LEGISLATORS,
JUDGES, OR GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS.
Are True to Their Old Masters, the
Corporations. and Their Fees
Go Right Along.

corporations are aided by the corpora
tion lawyer, and the fact that he be-
comes legislator, a judge, or holds
any other government position, does
not, in any degree, absolve him from
his allegiance to the corporation.
There is," says the Chicago Weekly
Sentinel, scarcely an instance of mis-
rule, or Of injustice to the common
people while comforting favors upon
the rich, that cannot be traced direct
ly to the Vaccinations and intrigue
Of the corporation lawyer.
Corporations are veritable govern
ments, deriving their powers from
governments formed by the people,
usurping the power of the civil gov
ernment, and avoiding responsibility
and punishment, no matter what the
controversy. by always having a
friend at court" or paid servant,
or both, in the person Of the corpora
tiOn lawyer.
/ The government is poor-can raise
money only by taxation; corporations
are rich-can pay their hired servants
princely sums.
Every attorney regards it as his
first great duty to provide for the pay
ment of his fee. He will take any
case, or any side of case, provided
his fee is forthcoming. A man may
be mighty poor lawyer, but he is al
ways good fee-taker. Nobody ever
knew lawyer to refuse any part of a
fee offered him.
Now take lawyer who has spent
half his life working for the man or
corporation that will pay him the big.
gest fee, instead of studying questions
OF right and wrong that affect the
welfare of his fellow-man, and he is
mighty poor material to make disin.
terested, unselfish, patriotic statemen
of. Ten chances to one he will keep
right on taking fees from the most
generous fee-giver.
Uncle Sam pays a lawyer S.. 900 a
year for his services as United States
senator. His old master, certain
railroad corporation in whose EMPLOY
he may yet continue secretly, can pay
him 5000 for his vote on an impor-
tant measure and make money by the
operation. Can the conscience Of the
average corporation lawyer stand such
a strain?
Uncle Sam pays his president $50, 900
year. A money syndicate, or corpo-
ration Of bankers if you please, can
pay him 81 900, 900 to force a big bond
issue, and make for them $4,000, 900
clear by the operation, Could man,
accus toned all his life to taking fees
from corporations and trying to make
the wrong side of questions appear
right, resist such temptation?
A man accustomed all his life to re-
gard his fee as the most important
feature of any transaction is a dan
gerous man to represe Mt the interests
of the common people who are unable
to back up small salary with extra
fees and perQuisiteS.
And yet it is just that class of men
who get into Otfice-eSpecially into
legislative halls-elected by the aid of
corporations, to do the dirty work of
corporations.
You can count on your fingers the
names of every congressman and U. S.
senator who was prior to his election
neither a corporation attorney nor an
officer, director or stockholder in ma
tional bank.
Nearly every cabinet officer since the
days of Lincoln has been corpor alton
lawyer. Every president since Grant
has been corporation lawyer.
Every federal judge of the present
day with scarcely an exception has
been corporation lawyer.
| Shiras, who went over to the mil
| lionaires with the casting vote on the
| income tax, was a corporation lawyer.
Olney, the new secretary of state,
won his appointment through his de-
| votiOn to the interests of corpora tions
| less than year ago.
Harmon, the new attorney general
has long been the head of a firm OF
corporation lawyers, and announces
that business in his interest will still
be transacted at the old stand.
Chauncey Depew gets $1OO.O00 a yea1
as attorney for a single corporation
and the man whom he is coaching fO1
president wouldn't stand the ghost o1
a chance for denomination were it not
for his past services as attorney fol
railroad corporations.
| With the executive, judicial and leg
islative branches of our government
under the management of corporation
lawyers, is it any wonder that oul
laws are passed, interpreted, and exc
cuted in the interest of corporation.
and to the great detrimcnt of the
common people?
There is little hope for genuine DO
litical reform until the corporation
lawyer is made to step down and out