Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-17
VALUE OF LITIGATION.

It is hard work for some men to look
beyond their own vocation and discover
anything good in the work of others. Toe
often those engaged in the various earn
ed professions are subjected to unjust
criticisms, by we'll meaning individuals
who fail to grasp the full Importance
of the work in which they may be en-
gagged. The tired, hard working clergy
man is often looked upon as a smooth
individual, floating on fowery beds of
ease, devoting most of his time to yellow
legged chickens and society; the worried,
WORKOUT physician is regarded as a fakir,
whose guesswork is tolerated by a pa
tent and long-suffering public from force
of habit; and even the editor is some
times spoken of as one who does nothing
But of all the brain workers the law
yer comes in for the largest proportion
of unmerited criticism. While many in
dividual lawyers may merit all chat can
be said against them, on account of I'M
professional conduct, the vocation of law
is one of the noblest known to man. 1t is
may come, as the long roll of centuries
is checked off by Father Time, when liti-
cation will cease and lawyers will not
be needed. But that condition of affairs
can never come except through The an-
plication of perfected laws, and perfected
laws must be evolved from litigation that
will show the weakness and injustice of
imperfect laws, and litigation makes the
lawyer necessary.
Litigation must not be looked upon as
an unmixed evil. Just rs the storm
purifes the atmosphere, so does litigation
show the weak points in the law until
gradually the ends of justice are con-
served through the adoption Of better
methods for regulating the affairs OF
men. Not only does litigation lead W
to a clearer understanding Of the princi.
Piles of equity and the enactment of laws
lIo VI oCllCI SCI IN CLUE VI JUSTICE
but it is also a safety valve for the nat.
ural belligerency of the human mind L
has taken centuries to educate mankind
up to a point where disagreements car
be adjudicated in the court rather thar
with the bludgeon, and to litigation ans
lawyers the credit for this evolution il
Ia rUa1v dino IF tho TINA ovor a %
when men are sufficiently civilized t.
settle their differences amicably withou
recourse to the law. it will be becaus,
litigation has produced such a wei
grounded respect for the principles Of Law
that the rights of contestants are recog
nized without invoking the machinery O
the courts.
Not only are the uses of litigation mani
fold when viewed from an ethical stand
point, but often they are made apparen
in a practical way under the daily Oh
%servation of the people. Such seems t,
be the case in the city Of Butte at tn.
present time.
Many people have earnestly deploret
the mining troubles that have led to sucl
conspicuous and long-drawn contention.
in the courts of this state. Doubtless thi,
litigation works a hardship upon individ
uals. 1t seems to be in the nature O
things that progress in any direction i'm,
plies a sacrifice on the part of some
VicariOus atonements are demanded a,
every crook in the road as mankind Jour.
neys along to a higher destiny. SOM
fall that others may rise. 1t has beer
said that truth crushed to earth will
rise again." In this respect truth has the
advantage of some men who tell the