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

Revision - some Criticism Heard.
The Washington Bar Association, at
special meeting held yesterday, adopted the
report Of the legislative committee in Fela-
tion 10 the new code OF laws for the gov
eminent of the District. The original com
pilatiou was made by Walter 5. Cox, for
merly an associate justice of the Supreme
Court Of the District. and WAS very voluml-
nous. When the code was submitted to the
Bar Association a committee was appointed
TO examine il and report to the Urgani5a-
ton. This was done some time in Feb
uary. 1899 The report showed that a
great deal had been eliminated from the
compilation Of laws submitted by Justice
Cox. Il appears that the code was lessened
by nearly two-thirds The original volume
contained nearly 1 600 pages, while the re-
yised edition consists Of only about 525
pages.
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. as 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, 1899 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 a joint meeting OF
the committee and a committee of the
justices OF tie Supreme Court OF the Dis
trict, consisting OF Justices Bradley, Cole,
and Barnard. In this revision. every word
o. the bill was carefully read and consid-
cred We have also examined AbeTt's
Compilation, the revised statutes of the
District OF Columbia. and the acts Of Con-
gress enacted since December J. 1873, and
supplied a number Of the acts which were
omitted in the code as originally prepared.
During the past year the committee has
received numerous suggestions as 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 il
were divided among the members Of the
committee. and each member was aided in
MS NOTh bN members OF lulS 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 eXsmina-
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. It 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. as 1t now stands, and Senate bill
! $3.50 is in the striking out Of the latter,
under the direction Of the assOciat ton, Of
/ the chapter establishing a municipal court
! in the District and substituting therefor
! the original statutes relating TO justices
Of the peace. with a number Of important
! amendments. These amendments reduce
the number Of justices Of the peace to six,
aboli h fees. and provide instead a salary
| Of $1,000 with $3.50 additional FOR office
stationery. and other expenses. Il 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
CT concurrent jurisdiction. but the Supreme
Court Of the District may prescribe as
condition precedent an AFFIDAVIT substan-
TALLY like the present seventy third rule.
The committee has been advised by
members OF Congress. who have taken
great interest in the matter. that iJ is very
important II any action upon the code is
10 be taken at the present session, that the
present revision should be introduced al as
early a date as possible. The committee,
therefore. recommends that it be author
lied ON behalf Of the association 10 have
Senate bill $3.50. as revised, introduced IN
Congress as new bill that when it shall
have been printed in its new form. The
committee be authorized 10 suggest such
further amendments as IL may deem nee
essary to perfect the code. and that the
committee be then authorized TO press
uron Congress the early passage OF the
bill 1t is proposed. if the code be adopted
az The present session OF Congress. il shall
10 into effect the LIST day OF January. 1901
The report IS signed by \. $. Worthing
ton William F. Matiingly r. Ross Perry,
Nathaniel Wilson. j. J. Darlington, George
T. Hamilton, Leon Tobriner, William G.
Johnson, and a. A. Brney.
The two most important changes provid-
I'd for in the new code are the abolish
meut 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 number. fourteen. to six, and that
the fee system be abolished and that the
Justices be paid a salary OF $1,000 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. II was cOntended
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 it not been
for the respect which the younger mem
bers of the 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 full meeting Of the association the sub
| ject would have been thoroughly discuss
| ed He believed that it will again come
! UP for consideration by the association.
important to Ladies.