The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-09-03
THE LAWYER AND THE TRUST.

THE LAWYER AND IhG AnOSA'
Trusts and capitalized combines are
more to be dreaded for their tamperlng
with courts and in booding legislative
bodies than from any monopolistic ad-
yantages accruing from open compeu-
ton. The advantages sought by trusts
and combines over the people are
through lawmakers and law-decreelhs
bodies. Were they not hedged ABOUT
nv legal enactments and protected Dy
courts the chances Of monopoly and re-
sultant fortune would be slim. AS no
iudge can sit in a case wherein he Is
nersonally interested, so there ought 10
an amendment to the fundamental Id"
forbidding any member of a legislature
or of congress becoming an attorney Tor
anv individual or corporation, or ac-
cepting a retainer. 1t is a common
thing where bills inimical to some IN
terest is pending In legislative booles
that attorneys for that interest are
found to be numerous among the law
yer-members of such legislature. 1t -
a whipping of the devil around me
stump. at bottom being simply bribery
The country would be better Oft and
trusts and monopolies would soon De
disarmed and left comparatively harm-
less il all lawyers were consttutonaliy
incanacitated from becoming lawmak-
ers. Lawyers are constituent part
of every court, and no class OF men
should be permitted to both make and
administer the laws. The laws OF this
country are practically all drafted by
lawyers. Every bill of criminal and
civil procedure before becoming a law
is referred to committee Of lawyers,
in every legislative body, known as the
judiciary committee. If the profession
was one Of entire integrity this rule
might be less reprehensible. But the
successfully respected uicksterS OF this
world are largely TO be found among
the members of a profession which
should be above tricks No lawyer VIII
trust another in court, and the judge
ON the bench, though lawyer himself,
must ever be on his guard against the
sophistTy and bubbles of his brethren
Rench-made laws constitute one OF the
CRYING abuses of the times, but all OF
the laws Of the United States, practical
ly, are lawyer made laws.
Among other topics which came up
before the National Bar association at
its meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, last
week was the topic of trusts Adolph
Moses of Illinois argued that the Bar
association should make a special ex-
animation Of laws relating TO aggre-
cations of capital particularly with re-
gard 10 the statutes relating to the pro-
lection of a witness against such or
ganization. "The public mind" said
Mr. Moses, has become firmly impress
ed with the belief that powerful ag-
gregations of capital have had consid-
cradle success in corrupting legislative
and municipal assemblies and public
officials. 1t behooves the American Bar
association, as leaders of public opinion
and trainers Of proper legislation, TO
suggest such amendatory legislation as
may be effective in compelling bribe
givers and bribe takers to testify against
each other, under promise Of constitu-
tional immunity"
No more wholesome or useful task
could be undertaken by the American
Bar association The utmost power of
the best minds of the country is needed
for the solution of the question of trusts,
the power Of trusts inhering in lawyer
legislation and in the courts presided
over by lawyers