The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-12
fnE Law COLLEGE AND POLITICS.

FINE LAW COLLEGE AND POL1T1CS.
Now that II has been decided to have
. law school In connection with the
State University. the next step is to Sc
lect q dean. Upon the wisdom OF this
selection depends the success Of the In
stitution. and the attorneys Ut the state
are m much interested a. the regents
To making the first law school rank
With the best anywhere. The amount
rof mosey available for the purpose is
not large, and It may restrict the field
from which candidates may be selected,
but there Is every promise that the
caliege Will grow rapidly. and with It
proper compensation.
Since the salary viii not be q tempta-
ton st the commencement Of the work.
the regents must exercise great care in
their choice. A man must be possessed
Of qualifications beyond those Of an az
torney In order TO be competent in
structor. He must possess the teaching
faculty a. well as the students knowl-
edge Of the law. AT q recent meeting
Of the Bar Association. when the SUBJ
ject was being discussed. Judge Moore
referred to the loss Of time consequent
upon improper methods Of study. Most
lawyers within his hearing realized the
truth Of his remarks. The fault with too
many lawyers il not that they have
failed to study. but that they have put
- much time - % little purpose, owing
% tie want Of method On the part Of
those upon whose guidance they have
relied. The dean OF the college should
therefore not only be q lawyer who has
studied correctly. but one who IL Ia
mtltar with the best methods Of instruc-
ton, he must take deep interest In his
work. and II must not be made a side
issue or the position be used az an ad-
vertisement for . practice. 1t has been
intimated that the large number OF can
didates was due to the expectation that
tho deanery would be q very comfort
able addition to the emoluments Of pri-
vate practice. The Bar Association lent
it, Enforcement to the proposition upon
the distinct understanding that the dean
should devote his whole time and atten-
ton 10 the college and should be re-
auired not to engage In private practice
directly or Indirectly.
Above all things the school must be
kept entirely out Of politics. Most at
torneys take a very active part in poll
tics. but they are exceedingly sensitive
on the score OF importing politics into
such IN institution. A very notable and
rather humorous evidence Of this was
given 1t the meeting OF the Bar Asso-
citation At which the subject Of the col
iese was debated. One OF those In at
tendance. himself q fisionist, moved
that the subject be referred to a COM
raittee whose members he named.
Every one Of the five was q Democrat
or a Popuiist. This not only antago-
CsNsy ANUPuVsCeu pASSehts 2ut IL
irritated the more conservative even
among the Democrats themselves. The
resolution was overwhelmingly defeat
ed The mover might have been quite
innocent OF intention 10 SO directly In
yes, the movement with a political as
pect. but II was 50 fragrant that II the
attorneys had no. felt confidence that
the regents would keep the promises pr.-
vately extended. that the college should
he kept out OF politics and the dean cut
Of active practice the whole scheme
would have beer defeated
I. Is one thing to start college and
another to make II = success. Unless
coed faith IL kept with the profession
the whole so-ce - the legal fraternity.
without respect to policies. win be turn
81! against . continuance. and the par-
pose viii Ne accomplished by defeating
ar appropriation.