Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-12-31
LAWYERS SUFFERING
FROM THE TRUST TENDENCY OF
THE TIMES
AND MANY OTHER CAUSES
Chicago Practitioners Alarmed Over
the Situation-Tru and Abstract
Companies a Menace-Old Varsity
Boy Presents Eentertalning Views
on the Subject.


on the Subject.
H. NJ. Ashton, who was a student in
he University Of Wisconsin in 1901,
-ow lawyer of Chicago, is among a
oxen prominent practitioners OF that
ny VINO present in the Chicago jour
al a synopsis showing the disastrous
..lect upon the profession of the trust
snaency and among them the opinion
IS nearly unanimous that the situation
IS acute. Some advocate radical meas
ares to relieve the situation by repeal
ne acts which allow speculation in
.egaI business, while others declare
mat the tendency toward centraliza-
ton is irresistible, and the lawyers
must suffer with others. None denies
that a mighty change is taking place,
but as a result few are wiling to mold
that the lawyer, as such, will retain
his high position in the regard OF the
/ community as the champion Oh liberty
and justice and the incorruptible advo-
cate of pure legal principles. Judge
Horton declares that the trusts are
affecting the status Of the lawyer, alike
/ financially, socially, and morally.
Judge Dunno gives the corporation at
torneys who lend themselves to anti
public legislation a terrible scoring,
and asserts that corporate growth is
destroying the individuality Of law
yers as we'll as others.
The advocates of the doctrine Of
"laissey faire'' present their views in
an equally forcible manner. William
Woke, a veteran lawyer, says that
times have changed and the profession
al man must change with them, while
Levy Mayer, whose fame is known
throughout the country as an authority
on corporate law and practice, claims
that the complexities of modern bust
ness have made the real lawyer strong
er than ever and that the development
of corporations dealing in legal BUSH
ness will never be able to affect the in
| dependent practitioner. Mr. Ashton's
views are thus expressed:
THE law is no longer a profession il
the city of Chicago It has come to be
a business pure and simple, and as a
business it is in a peculiarly congested
and demoralized tate. Some time ago
| called attention to this subject in an
article published in the June number
of the Legal Adviser, but nothing has
been done This condition has not
come about by reason of any lower
standing in intelligence or morality on
the part of men entering the profess
sion, nor has it been caused by too
many men entering the ranks. The
creation Of the trust and the abstract
companies has caused the commercial
lawyer to lose a large share of his legal
business The corporation without
soul or conscience has by special stat
ute been clothed with the power of act
ing as executor or administrator of es-
tates and nearly all the unimportant
estates are now handled by these com
Ipanies 1t is the same with the alb
stract companies. Created by statute,
they pass upon titles and give the
buyer Of real estate their money guar
antee that the title is good in place of
the professional guarantee of the law
yer. The old-time sacred relationship
between client and attorney is thus
absolutely destroyed. The earnings of
this unnatural and for the lawyer, I'M
fortunate condition of legal business.
These companies insure thousands of
| firms against loss by reason of any
accident to their employees While at
work. Before the advent of the acct
| dent insurance company each firm en-
| ployed a lawyer to defend damage
suits. About 5000 firms employed, say,
500 lawyers. Probably 80 per cent. of
these firms are now insured against
accidents. The defense OF all suits
! brought against these insured compa-
MES is now handled by six trial law
yers and about 10 Office lawyers, as
sisted by large force of clerks. In
this way 484 lawyers have the greater
part Of their income cut off. The Is
who are doing all of this legal work do
not reap any great benefit from the
i business shifted from the hands of
their fellow-laWyers to their own.
Although OF more than ordinary abil.
lity, they receive only moderate sal
aries. The 484 who have lost their
business stand ready to bid against the
Is for their positions. Six companies
do practically all of the accident insur-
ance in Chicago in the line of employ
ers' liability. These companies are all
controlled by eastern or English capt.
tai. THE men in charge here are mere
servants. The settlement of cases is
nearly always directed from the east
ern office. The lawyer must obey the
command of his master His individ-
uality is crushed and he becomes part
OF a machine. His fellow-Iawyers
who have lost their clients look around
! RI fin .oI,