The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-09-03
NUMBER %.
WHY CHOOSE TIE BAR?
Atlanta Constitution.

II the figures compiled by one of the
leading journals OF Chicago are cor.
rect, there are $4,000 legal practition;
crs In the United States, or one to
every 800 inhabitants. On the basis
Of this showing IL Is evident that the
legal profession iii this country is
painfully overcrowdcd, and that hun
dreds who ale now struggling to earn
scant living at the bar Ought to be
engaged in somc other pursuit.
This statement is further chpha-
sized by the fact that cohditlons II
the United States have changed ma.
terially during the past fifteen or
twenty years. AS the result OF these
changed conditions there Is no longer
the same demand for legal talent
which formerly existed in this c0un.
try. The business OF collecting past
due obligations which was formerly
entrusted exclusively to lawyers Is
now chiefly monopolized by banking
institutions and collecting bureaus.
Even the examination VI land titles
and the drawing up Of deeds which
formerly made thousands OF dollars
tributary each year to the lawyers
snug income has been gobbled up by
special agencies. Still another fact
to be considered is the monopoly OF
legal business which the formation of
wealthy trusts and combines has
brought to individual members Of the
profession. While this fact may hold
out some inducemcnt to hrainy and
enterprising young lawyers 1t un.
doubtedly restricts the opportunities
which the profession offers to the
great majority OF its members.
Scarcely year passes without giving
tragic emphasis to the overcrowdcd
condition OF the bar especially In our
larger cities, where the amount Of lei
gal talent Is out of all proportion to the
number of litigants; and in view OF
this depressing status OF affairs 1t is
not surprising that hundreds OF de:
serving and even talented lawyers,
overcome by the stress 0f protracted
waiting for clients, either abandon
the profession Of the law for s0tnc 9th.
er means of support or else find them
selves impelled by the demon OF self'
destruction tu commit some rash act
and thereby end the pitiless struggle.
Bnt, in spite OF the reduced demand
for legal talent which the country now
offers, the number Of applicants strug-
Cling tor admission to the bar is great!
or to-day than ever before in the his.
tory Of the profession. The situation
is indeed distressing, and the future
is anything else but Ieassuring.
Young men who contemplate enter
ing the legal profession should first
carefully consider its Cvercrowded
condition, and unless satisfied OF
their qualifications, or impellcd by
some overpowering desire to engage
in the practice of law, they should
abandon the idea. Most young men
regard the legal profession as the first
doorway through which they must
enter in order to attain political hon
ors; but they should bear in mind the
fact that business men arc now raps
idly forcing their way to the front
and that our legislative halls are no
longer filed with lawyers, as In ante
bellum days.
Before dismissing the subject it is
not little sin Iular to observe in this
connection that the feverish desire on
the part of young men to enter the
profession OF law is somewhat peculiar
to the United States. or course, the.
desire Is found in other countries, but
1t fails to carry with it the same de-
gree OF infatuatiOn. In France, for
example, there are only 5000 lawyers
out OF a total population OF 40, 900, ,OOO,or
one lawyer to every 5000 inhabitants.
This Is six times less than the ratio
which prevails in the United States.
In other words, the average lawyer In
France has SIX times the clentage OF
the average lawyer In the United
States. In Germany the ratio OF law
yers to population is one to $500,
showing a greater disparity even than
France. In Great Britain the ratio Is
the same as In Germany. These fg-
ures are significant and show that our
talented young men, instead OF rush
Ing headlong into the profession Of
law, should carefully weigh the in
ducements which are held out by other
pursuits.
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