The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-11

The Washington Bar Association, at
| special meeting held yesterday adopted the
report of the legislative committee in Te!a-
| ton 10 the new code OF laws for the gov
eminent of the District. The original com
! pilation was made by Walter s. Cox, for
merly an associate justice of the Supreme
Court OF the District and WAS very volumi-
nous When the code was submitted TO the
| Bar Association a committee was appointed
TO examine IL and report to the Urgani7a-
ton. This was done some time in Feb
ruary, 1899. The report Showed that a
great deal had been eliminated from the
compilation of laws submitted by Justice
Cox. Ii appears that the code was lessened
by nearly two-thirds. The original volume
contained nearly LOCO pages. while the re-
yised edition consists of only about 325
pages. .ss.--..
The report of the committee. which was
adopted unanimously. IS as follows:
In accordance with the resolution adopt
ed by the association at its meeting held
the 10th day of February, 1899, the code
prepared by Justice Cox, revised by the
committee on legislation. in conjunction
with the justices of the supreme Court of
the District of Columbia, including Justice
Cox was introduced in the Senate on the
18th day OF February 1889, as Senate bill
5530, of the Fifty-fifth Congress- third ses-
sion. After this bill was printed, the COM
mittee on legislation made a number OF
changes in it, and in the last six weeks
it has been revised at joint meeting Of
the committee and a committee of the
justices OF tie Supreme Court of the Dis
crict, consisting Of Justices Bradley, Cole
and Barnard. In this revision. every word
OF the bill was carefully read and consid-
cred. We have also examined Abert's
Compilation, the revised statutes OF the
District OF Columbia and the acts of Con-
gress enacted since December /, 1873, and
supplied number of the acts which were
omitted in tie code as originally prepared.
During the past year the committee has
received numerous suggestions to diff
ferent parts of the work from members of
the bar and others all of which have re-
ceived careful consideration, and many of
them have been incorporated In the code.
In the revision of the code. as prepared
by Justice Cox. the subjects embraced in ii
were divided among the members of the
committee. and each member was aided in
his work by members of this association
not on the committee, who were requested
by the committee to act on these sub-com-
mittees, and who in this way rendered
valuable service. Other members of the
association have aided us in the examina-
tion of the acts of Congress passed since
December /, 1873, the date Of the Revised
Statutes, and calling cur attention to those
which relate TO the District. 1t may well
be said that the code represents the labor
of the entire bar and all the judges OF the
courts OF the District.
The principal difference between the
code, It now stands, and Senate bill
$3.50. is in the striking out of the latter
under the direction Of the association, OF
the chapter establishing municipal court
in the District. and substituting therefor
the original statutes relating 10 justices
of the peace, with number OF important
amendments. These amendments reduce
the number of justices of the peace to SIX /
abolish fees and provide instead a salary
Of $1,000. with $3.50 additional for Office
stationery, and other expenses. 1t is pro-
vided that the districts over which each
Justice is to provide shall be fixed from
time TO time by the Supreme Court of tn !
District of Columbia. Trial by jury before |
justices of the peace is abolished. The |
writ Of certiorari is restored in all cases !
Of concurrent jurisdiction but the Supreme |
Court of the District may prescribe as a |
condition precedent an affidavit substan-
TALLY like the present .eventy-third rule |
The committee has been advised by
members OF Congress, who have taken /
great interest in the matter. that il is very
important, If any action upon the code is
10 be taken al the present session, that the
present revision should be introduced at as
early date as possible. The committee
therefore, recommends that il be author
lied on behalf of the association to have
Senate bill $500, as revised introduced in |
Congress as new bill; that when ii shall |
have been printed in its new form, the
committee be authorized TO suggest such
further amendments as il may deem nee
sssary to perfect the code. and that the
committee be then authorized TO press
upon Congress the early passage OF The
bill. 1t is proposed, if the code be adopted
at the present session Of Congress. it shall
go into effect the LIST day of January. 1901
The report is signed by 4. S. Worthing-
ton, William F. Mattingly. r. Ross Perry.
Nathaniel Wilson. j. J. Darlington, George
E. Hamilton, Leon Tobriner, William G.
and 4. a. Brney.
The two most important changes provid-
cd for in the new code are the abolish
ment Of the office OF Register of Wills and
the continuing of the system of justices
OF the peace instead OF the establishment
of a municipal court as was suggested.
In connection with the continuance OF the
Office of Justice Of the peace it is recon-
mended that the number of justices of the
peace in the District be reduced from the
present fourteen, 10 SIX, ana lHdt !
the fee system be abolished and that the
justices be paid salary of 81, 600 year.
After the meeting Of the association
there was some criticism made by some
of the young members of the District bar
as to the action taken. 1t was cOnteDded
by one that due notice of the meeting had
not been given. He stated that he had
not received any notice of the call until
about thirty minutes before the associa-
ton met. He said that had il not been
for the respect which the younger mem
bers of TIE bar entertain for the older
expression would have been given this
spirit OF opposition yesterday. In his opin-
ion the action taken might be properly
termed snap judgement and he is conf
dent that if the matter had come before
a iGi; meeting of the association the sub
iect would have been thoroughly discuss
ed. He believed that ii will again come
up for consideration by the association.
Important to Ladies'.