The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-01-01


wanna bar as Attorney John NJ. Har-
ris' reported criticisms at the meeting
of the state Bar association COM
mittees in Pittsburg, as told in Satur-
days Tribune.
With scarcely an exception the law
yers who have expressed themselves
condemn the speech as unwarranted,
uncalled for, and highly indscreet.
That there is any general rate cutting
or that the proprieties are not rigidly
maintained among the members of the
profession is emphatically denied.
There may be some isolated instances
of rate-cutting. the lawyers say. but
1t is not such as would warrant Mr..
Harris in making the sweeping asser-
ton he did. even If 1t was made at
nome and to a purpose. instead of
the manner in which It was made.
The general Indignation aroused by
the reading of the press dispatch crys-
talized in a set of resolutions, adopted
at specially convened meeting of the
directors of the bar association Satur-
day afternoon.
THE RESOLUTIONS.
Whereas. The Associated Press dis
patches OF today contain reference to
statements alleged to have been made BY
John NJ. Harris. a member of this bar
at meeting of the general committees
OF the State Bar association held at Pitts
burg yesterday, rejecting upon the pro.
fessioral standing of the bar and upon
the willingness or ability OF the court
OF this county to properly punish un-
worthy members of the bar. the directors
of the Lackawanna Law and Library as
sociation, which is the only associated
body of the members of the bar of the
county, place upon their minutes the fol-
lowing action:
We realize that 1t would be unjust to
Mr.. Harris to act upon mere telegraphic
reports OF statements alleged to have
been made by him. yet the widespread
publicity of the report makes 1t neccs-
sary that some nc tice be taken of it,,
and thus assuming, without prejudice to
him, that he Is correctly reported, we
reply that the association has Il most ex-
cellent and efficient board of censors,
composed of the following members Of
the bar: w. w. Lathrope, George S,
Horn. Everett Warren, II. Nj. Streeter
and Joseph O'Brien. This board of GEN.
sors has never refused or hesltated to
promptly take up and thoroughly pursue
any charSes made cgainst any member
of the bar, neither have the judges of our
courts been neglectful of their duty in
this matter, but have always been quick
to rebuke any breaches of professional
propricty committed In their presence
and to assume jurisdiction of any COM
plants against members of the bar, and
If such complaints were sustained, to
promptly and vigorously punish the Of
fender. Neither the association. the
hoard of censors, nor the court, however,
| a..
way except upon specific charges made
| against particular individuals. No such
charges and action upon such charges
have ever been neglected.
STANDARD Is HIGH.
We further state our conviction that the
standard of propriety. honesty and honor
in this county is quite equal to that of
any section of the state, and that the bar
of this county has been for years partic-
ularly noted for the esprit de corps
among its members. We further state
that the standard Of examinations for adj
mission to the bar of this county has
been steadily raised fer number of
years past and there is no bar in the
state in which the standa rd is now higher
or the examinations made more thorough
and rigorous.
James II. Torrey. II. A. Knapp. H.
Osthaus. John =. Kelly, Il. =. IIoban
w. A. Wilcox, Walter Briggs, Directors.
Mr.. Harris had not returned up to 4
late hour last night and inquiry at his
home in Taylor elected the information
that it was not known when he would
return. His close friends are hoping
that he will show he was misquoted ir
the dispatch.
Smoke the Pocono &c. cigar. ~