Arizona republican., 1899-04-29
WHY SILVfLA
 QUITS THE LAW

more than mere passing mention. says the Marquise de Fontenoy in the | Washington Post. He has informed the Spanish bar that he abandons legal practice not only fer the time that he, remains in office, but also for the sun- sequent portion of his career.
 In order to appreciate the extent of this sacrifice on his part, it should be statsd that until he became premier q few weeks ago he enjoyed the largest and most remuneraltive practice in Spain. and was the leader of the Span ish bar.
 The reason which he gives for aban- doning for all time the legal profes- sion is that he does not consider it | consistent with the dignity of a pre- mier or of a cabinet minister to return tC practice after having held cabinet office, and that the custom of ex-pre- miers and eX-cabinet ministers flgur- ing as counsel in court is not calcu- lated to promote the impartiality Of | the judges, CT to inspire public conf- dcncs in their strict sense Of justice
 Throughout the continent of Europe | the judges are subordinate to the gov ernment, and depend upon the premier and upon the minister of justice for their promotion and distinctions of one kind and another. New, judge, knowing this, and finding among the counsel in his court a lawyer who has already once held the office of cabinet minister, and who is likely to become cabinet minister again, will naturally be tempted to earn the latter's good Twill by granting decisions in favor of l the cause which he represents. At any rate, any judgment that the bench might deliver in favot of the cause ad- vocated by the eX-cabinet minister would be exposed to the suspicion of partiality.
 In France one finds constantly ex- l ministers and eV5n carpenters plead 1 ing in court, one of the most notable cases being that of Maitre Waldeck | Rousseau, who is practically leader of the French bar. In England we have | the case of eX-Home Secretary As l quith, husband of "Dodo" Tenant; while here in the United States we have seen ex-Secretary of State Ev- arts, and even ex-Dresidents of the United States, such as Grover Cleve- land, pleading in court as counsel. In France I recall especially the in- stance of an ex-minister Of justice be- ing called upon to plead as counsel be- fore the court of appeals at Algiers. He was known as an exceedingly ca pable and brilliant man, likely to re- tu1n to office at an early date. The consequence of this was that the pro curator general of the republic, who represented the interests of the state and Of the people in the case, cast all the weight of his influence in favor of the cause advocated by the ex-minis- ter, while the court itself granted decision in the san1s sense.
 A few months later there was a change of cabinet at Paris. The dis tinguished lawyer in question became once more minister of justice, and one of the very first appointments which he made was the promotion of the procurator general of the republic at Algiers to a lucrative seat upon the bench at Paris, and it was not long before promotion likewise overlook the judges of the court of appeal at Algiers who had given a decision in favor of the case represented by the minister of justice when he was cut of office.
 It is for the purpose of avertine scandals of this kind that Premier Silve,a has made the announcement that he sewers his connection with the bar, en,ailing, as already stated, q heavy financial sacrifice. He hopes that his example will be followed by those of his colleagues in the cabinet who happen to belong to the legal pro- fession.
 His action has naturally given rise to an immense amount of discussion. By far the greater number of peOpls, both in his own country and abroad, warmly approve of his honorable at titude. There are many, however, who add that the rue which he has inaugurated with regard to himself should be extended not only to cabinet ministers. but also to members Of both houses of the national legislature, the ground being taken that nowadays parliaments exercise so much irfiu- eace in determining the course Of the executive that members even out of of1ic often wield as much power as full fiedged cabinet ministers
 While this is distinctly an extreme view, which iU will be not only diff cult. but almost impossible, to main- tain, there is no doubt that there are very serious objections Eo members, for instance, of the house of lords in England practicing at the bar. For the house of lords is the supreme court of appeal of the British empire and 1n- asmuch as each member of the house of lords is entitled, by virtue of his seat (which he may owe to hereditary descent or to royal favor), to have a voice in the judgment of this tribunal, it is obviously improper that a man thus occupying the position of judge should, at the same time, be at lib- erty to chamCibn causs, as counsel.
 If I mention this it is because the members of the British 1eerage are embarking upon the practice of law to an extent never contemplated. Thus, there is not only Lord Cole ridge praoticing at the bar and making an income from his profession of some S2O, 900 a year, but also the earl Of Desart, who, in addition to his private practice, fills the role of public prose enter. Then. tco. there is young Lord