The San Francisco call., 1898-02-05
AN EXPLANATION WANTED.

~ RDINARILY The Call is disposed to allow x attorneys the utmost latitude in the practice of their profession An attorney IS employed to take the place of person who has invoked the law for the entertainment of some right or the re- dress ot some grievance. He is proxy and what ne says and does he and does promote the cause Of his client. His oath requires him to bring only such actions appear to him legal and just to utl- ize only the truth in his work to maintain nvlolate the confidence and at every peril himself preserve the secrets of his client and never reject tor any consideration personal to himself, the cause ot the defenseless the oppressed. Most respectable at torneys keep this oath in mind and many of them make it the basis of legal code of morals which safely protects them from the temptations of trying and distracting business.
 Owing to the fact that attorneys act in represen tatve character and usually speak other thoughts and sentiments than their oWn disposed to be very enient with them. What they do they are employed and paid to do and if there any wrath to be visited upon the cause which they advocate it seems to us that should relate back to the promoter ot the cause and not fall upon the attorney who is employed by that promoter. We therefore believe that in the n- junction proceedings brought by the Paraftlne Paint Company against the Harbor Commissioners, now on trial i'll Judge Belchers court the attention ot the public should be directed to the principals and not to the attorneys. Perhaps the lapses of memory, the vanishing books the absent defendants and wit and the general air of mystery with which the contracts between the Harbor Commission and the Dundon- Sade syndicate are invested may be the n- venons of the attorneys. But if they are we should reflect that the attorneys hired to fight each other and on that ground are excusable
 But there IS attorney in this litigation who should be made exception to the rules we have ,-. IT. II fo pear on both sides of the same case. When an at torney does that it is ground of disbarment and even by lawyers who make practice of selling out their clients and betraying the law the oense IS re- garded as highly penal.
 Among the attorneys who are acting in the Par afine Paint Company's injunction there is one who owes explanation to the public He is now one of the attorneys for the Harbor Commission The evidence shows that he has been previously, If he is now, the legal representative of one of the corporations which is accused of enjoying the favor of the board There IS here plain conflict ot ln- terest. It is necessary defense Of the Harbor Com mission that the truth regarding its transactions with the Dundon- Slade syndicate should come out. How the truth out while the commissions at torney continues to be interested in the welfare o the syndicate?
 We do not suggest that this attorney should plain because he is reform Senator n the Legsla- ture from Alameda County. We merely suggest that the only way he can make his position in the litiga- ton more suspicious would be to turn up the at torney for the Parafhne Paint Company in other case. Then he would be familiar with all the phases of the litigation and be able to speak with the voices of all the litgants We do not intend to in innate that the genteman's connection with the liar bor Commission and the Dundon- Slade syndicate is in any way dishonorabe. for appears that at the present. at least, their interests are the If this is the fact it might be interesting for the reform Senator to explain why their interests the