The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-31
sap LAWYERS AND DOCTORS.

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Any proceeding whose result is TO pre-
vent man following the means by
which he usually secures livelihood Is
exceedingly disagreeabie. and authora-
ties shrink from it even when they know
Ii To be their duty 1t was no ordinary
task, therefore, set for the committee
to which was referred the cases OF Pow
ell. Grove and Ault; and all who were
party to the proceedings deserve the
grateful thanks Of the community.
All Of the professions hold it as q car
dinal principle to do all they can to pro-
tect the public from impostors trading
upon it's ignorance 1t is impossible for
the average man To know whether
lawyer or doctor Is a competent man
and one whom IL Is safe to trust. So
long as they are licensed to practice the
public has right 10 assume that they
are both competent and honest. The
professions owe 1t fully as much to the
public, IL not more than to themselves.
20 purge their ranks OF those who abuse
confidence bestowed upon them. Yet it
IL exceedingly difficult to get the organ
izaticns composed OF members Of either
profession 10 take such steps as those
which became so manifestly desirable
in the case just closed. 1t is not neces-
sary to comment harshly upon the con-
duet Of ono OF the three; his punishment
Will be a saluiasv warning. AS to Pow
ell the criminal court will probably have
to deal with him.
Now that an example has been made
and some courage shown, 1t Is TO be
hoped that the professions will not leave
1t to victims TO take the initiative.
There are men practicing at the King
county bar who will rank with any in
the country. but there is some reason
10 believe that an occasional instance
has occurred OF wrong to a client which
should have had an investigation, not
only in the interest OF the client, but Of
the lawyer upon whom the uncomfort-
able suspicion rests. The honest law
yer is fully as much interested as any
body else In keeping up the standard,
because 1t cannot be pleasant to know
that the whole body OF lawyers are de-
nounced as thieves on account of one I'M
principled member. Not long ago a
man was being subjected to disbarmens
proceedings and only escaped through
the defense that he had never been ad-
mitted." II he Is still practicing as an
attorney he is perpetrating fraud
the bar should protect 1t from. II is
the high character of the average at
torney and licensed physician which H.
spires respect for all OF the cloth That
respect cannot be ms strongly held IL
those who know better show no resent
ment at dishonorable acts perpetrated
only through public confidence.
IT should not be left. however, to pri-
vate members to make public charges.
There should be an established body.
appointed by the superior court. to
whom complaints might be made. but
from whom an appeal might be taken.
Tho hearings need not necessarily be
public, because allowance must be made
for malice and such feeling as that which
inspired the Duchess Of Somerset to de-
nounce the physician who attended her
son. Earl st. Maur. I'm his dying hours,
and led 10 one Of the most famous slam
der cases ever reported In any country,