Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-06-13
MAN AND HIS NAME.
Over Everything Else He Has Indi'
viduaI Control But Not Over
That.

SIT seems to me that the written and
the unwritten laws of the land should
De so amended that a man should eX-
arcise individual volition and control
n the selection of his name," said a
member OF the district bar to a Wash
ngton Star reporter recently.
The question has often occurred to
me when observing the curious and
freakish names one encounters on the
calendars of the courts and in the
books of reports.
Over pretty much everything in this
ife affecting a mans personal being
ae has absolute control. He may de-
rise his property TO whom he choose,
squander it as he likes, endeavor to
2rGlong his life or cut it short by sui
:ide, wear what his taste dictates and
marry or not, as he determines and
whom he pleases. His fond parents,
however, may dub him Julius Caesar
Hannibal Alexander Wellington Ma
poleon Washington Webster Clay
Montmorency Bolts, or 'tust plain Bill
Bilks,' and that settles 1t so far as he
is concerned. He wears his cognomen
as the convict wears the Shackles, be.
cause he has to.
''Of course, the law provides rem
edy if a man is displeased with his
name, as it does for every other hu-
man emergency. Under the common
law man is permitted to change his
name if sufficient reasons exist in the
mind of the court for it, and in some
of the states special acts have been
passed. Some states require an act
of the legislature.
''But these proceedings are cumber-
some and comparatively expensive,
though if l had to journey through life
with some of the names l have seen
I'd give up my last dollar to effect
change. And as rule you are required
to give some substantial reason, as in
jury to business, prospective legacy
and the like before the court will con-
sent to a change.
ST would suggest an easier and fully
effective way if sanctioned by statute,
For instance, upon the majority of
any person, male or female, he or she
may be permitted to elect as to wheth-
er they desire to retain their baptismal
aame or adopt a new one in whole or
In part. Make the proceeding as SIM
pie as possible, yet one of record, re-
luiring formal declaration in
writing setting forth the facts and
sworn to before notary public and
filed in the office OF the county clerk,
where, for a small fee, certificate of
the change would be furnished and the
old and the new name made matter
books of the office.
"While it is true that some people
change their names and adopt new
ones or hyphen one or two other names
to their original surname, and these
names are considered legal, yet there
might be an easy way, such as is sug'
gested, and if there were ! believe
many thousands of persons would an
nually take advantage of it.
'The law recognizes but two names
the first and the last, and the middle
initial of name is no part of 1t legal
IL. For instance, if a man signed g
note as John Jones' and then sought
to evade payment by alleging that his
real name was John J. Jones, it would
avail him nothing.
ut seems to me that II there is one
thing above another which is essen
TALLY a mans personal property it is
his name. 1t is odd, there fore, that he
has nothing 10 do with its selection
Under existing conditions he never
will enjoy this high favor unless he
avails himself of the courts or sim
pier and more popular method in line
with the one here suggested is even
tually put into practice In fact, g
mans name has repeatedly been held
to be personal property of recognized
value, and the courts will protect 6
man in the use thereof, or his heirs
if other persons attempt to steal OF
use it without authority"