New-York tribune., 1901-11-24
THE sT4NDARD OF THE BAR.

The permanent disbarring of an attorney from
practising in the courts of this State because OF
'.rDprofessionaI conduct was one OF the lncl-
dents of the last week. 1t was an unpleasant
incident. for the attorney; and, we may beHeVe'
not altogether agreeable to the Bar Assoclatloh
which made or to the court which granted the
motion for disbarment. Certainly the occasion
for it was unwelcome. Yet we must regard Tue
action of the court as salutary and as calcuiateu
to promote the public welfare and TO MAINTAIN
high standard in one of the most important OF
the learned professions.
We cling 10 that oldtime appellation, Learned
profession" because it well expresses what the
bar should be. But il is a lamentable 1act that
now and then commercialism and specuiaron
invade ii and degrade it. Men-some hleh-
seem to forget that a lawyer is really an olncer
of tbe court, sworn TO seek only justice ana
equity. but regard the profession as mere
money making pursuit, in which any sharp
nractice is permissible The ancient quesuon
of school debates rs lawyer justihable IN
defending a man whom he knows to be guilty..
has never we believe. been finally answered.
Rut assuredlv there can be no justification Tor
lawyer who miseads his client, or decelves
tbe court or breaks faith with the opposing
counsel or makes himself receiver OF stolen
goods and a screen for thieves. Such lawyers
are few But they do here and there exist, anu
when they are detected in their malpractice IL is
well that they should be expelled from the pro-
fession which they disgrace.
1t is well, too. that in addition to such purify
ing of the legal profession there shouid De
more earnest effort TO protect II from coh'an
tnation. The question may well De asheu
whether there is not too great and too lndis-
eriminate an influx into the ranks of the bar.
year nv wear the various law schools send IN
creasinp armies of new recruits, far beyond the
reouirements of even this litigious community
The result is a twofold evil. On the one manu.
in so numerous an influx. some unit men, anl-
mated by unworthy motives from lne outset
are borne into the profession ana, OF tne
other hand the overcrowding or the prolessioh
and the consequent difficulty or winning sue
coss mr. even earning a living in it act as
strong temptation to some men 10 seek pauo
aqe and profits in illegitimate ways. There is,
of course no excuse for their yielding to such
termination. If man cannot earn an honest
living as a lawyer he might do so as street
sweeoer. He is under no compusion to be
LAWYER Nevertheless. it will be good morals
e,d good nractical business sense TO lessen the
temrtation as far as possible
That is to be done by raising the standards OF
fitness for admission to the bar SO as to prevent
hoth tbe influx of unworthy men and the over
crowdirg of the profession. There is now an
auspicious movement in that direction La"
schools. in this State at any rate, have Deen
lengthe1,ing their required courses OF study as
well as raising tests for entrance. One OF these
davs 1t is probable. all law schools, or all con-
nected with universities, will require maricu-
lants to have completed a regular college course
and to have received baccalaureate degree III
this salutary process the bar associations ana the
courts can greatly aid, by making requirements
for license correspondingly rigorous and lhe
State government too. by protecting the Dar OF
the State from invasion by men prepared IN
nlaces where the standard is not as high as it is
here