Albuquerque evening citizen., 1905-08-25
LAWYER WHO GAVE
UP 500, 600 JOB
TO ACCEPT $4,000 JUDGESHIP
DEFENDS NEW JERSEY COR
PORATloNS.

Seattle, Wash, Aug. 25.-"Corpor
ations and trusts come to New Jersey
for their charters because New Jer-
sey will give them the kind of char
ters they want. 1t is a business prop
osition. The state does it because
there is money in it for the state in
the form of fees from the corpora
tiOns. New Jersey is in business for
New Jersey and not for the corpora
tions."
This is the explanation of James B.
Dill, millionaire lawyer, noted author
ity on corporation law and author Of
Dill on Corporations, who has re-
Gently acquired national fame and
prominence by resigning a 100000
job as a corporation lawyer to accept
an appointment as a member of the
New Jersey court of appeals at $4,000
year
Why did he do it?
That is the question lawyers, cor
poration officials, trust magnates, re-
formers and newspaper writer's in all
parts of the United States have been
asking themselves and each other ev-
er since the appointment was an
nounced. The answer has not been
forthcoming. II has been suggested
that he expects as a Judge on the
bench to exert larger influence on
the laws of his state, possibly with a
view of driving from it the more no
torious of the soulless combinations
of capital. That this theory Is not
correct is plainly indicated by Mr..
Dills own frank opinion on the cor
poration laws of New Jersey, express
ed to the writer for the purpose of
this article.
Mr. Dill, since the announcement of
his appointment to the bench, has
been absent from his home in New
Jersey on a vacation. He has been
/ touring the Pacific coast, accomrR.
MED by his wife and three grown
| daughters. He came to Seattle with
a view of visiting Alaska, but chang
ed his mind after reaching here and
/ will remain in Seattle instead To the
writer he has given the first author
/ lied newspaper interview for general
/ use he has permitted to be published
since he accepted his judicial appoint.
ment. At the request of the inter,
viewer he first touched on the subject
of the liberality of the corporation
laws Of his state.
New Jersey has been referred tC
p as the home of corporations anC
, trusts said Judge Dill. The title
, is well deserved. With ms it is
business proposition. There is none!
in 1t for New Jersey. We take tn,
e. money they offer us in fees and Civ
J them the kind Of charters they wan
p under which to do business. Thes
p fees form our chief source of revenue
! In New Jersey We levy mo- direC
/ taxes, and yet our surplus revenu
{ last year was more than $4,000. w
have the best country roads I'm tn
[ United States. We have the be.
/ schools and public buildings. Tn
! money is expended in public improy
5 ments.
/, Lincoln Steffens has said Of Ne
Jersey that she is a traitor state b
] cause she sells out the rest of II
, states by granting charters to corpo
atiOns which under them prey upC
p commerce and industry. He has a
} cused us of being selfish. Well, v
! are selfish. We are not gOyerniI
New Jersey for the benefit of the re-
! of the country, no for the cOrpOr
tions. But we have sold out no stat
b We grant corporation charters uudu
: which they can do business, but "
= cannot admit them to- other state
The other states must do that 9th,
J states must pass their own cOrpor
tion laws, and if they do not like OF
corporations they should not adm
o them.
a "Of course, evils will arise undD
: this system, and the proof of it is th
: evils have arisen. The proper remeJ
for the correction of these evils is a