Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-04-27
A REPLY TO A RAILING
ACCUSATION.

and forcible; and the truths therein
set forth ought to have wide circula-
ton. Public opinion Is influenced too
much by loud voiced and inaccurate
assertions by few misleaders OF the
people, and the repetition OF those
assertions by others. Mr.. Fielder
confutes reckless assertion recently
made by DR.. Washington GLADDEN.,
and shows plainly that very grave
danger turks In the prevailing ten
dcncy towards multiplicity Of ILL
advised laws. His words are:
l read with some interest the article
in last weeks Tribune, under the
heading "Lawbreaking Lawyers. "
The article Is inspired by the sermon
Of Rev. DR.. Washington GLADDEN. IN
which lawyers are characterized us
the "ailies OF the criminal and preda-
tory classes, and are said to be able
to "paralyzo and defeat the law OF the
land
Sensational utterances arc becoming
highly fashionable, with Dir. GLADDEN.
In the lead, and DR.. 0sler in second
place. 1t Is said that DR.. Oslor's SEN
sational statement that men lover the
age OF sixty should be chloroformed"
was made In Jest, and he may be OK
cused on that ground. But DR.. Glad
denis words were uttered from the
pulpit, and IL IL therefore fair to as
sumo that he was serious.
IL Ii unfortunate for DR.. GLADDEN.
that he should have permitted himself
TO utter such extravaganza language.
IL Is tho less pardonable coming from
an eminent divine while occupying the
pulpit. 1t Is possible that the good
Doctor was looking vt the legal pro-
fession through "smolsed glasses" or
that his mental vision was obscnred;
and IL may be that he is over the ago
OF sixty.
The statement that lawyers are
"allies of criminals may be dis
missed with u recommendation to DR..
GLADDEN. that he study Article VI Of
the Amendments to the u. S. Consti-
tuition which provides that "ln all
criminal prosecutions the accused
for his defenso." But II this safe
guard of individual rights had never
been written into the constitution, It
would nevertheless be absurd to say
that because some lawyer defends n
criminal, that lawyers generally are
"allies Of criminals" Equally alb
surd would II be to say that because
some Clergyman absconds with anoth-
er mans wife, that therefore clergy.
men generally are seducers.
The assertion that lawyers are able
to "paraly2e and defeat the law of the
land" Is u revelation to the legal pro.
fesslon. Tho mere statement itself Is
evidence that DR., Gladden's knowl-
edge OF legal procedure Is quite Inn
perfect, II not inexcusably crude, No
net of ~ lawyer ever rendered II law,
once enacted, invalid or unconsttu-
tional. Such authority Is vested OK
clusively in the courts presided over
by honest, upright judges. The most
that lawyer can do Is To present
his views to the court, but unless he Is
right the decision OF the court will be
adverse to him.
IL Is the courts that declare laws In
valid, not the lawyers. The language
OF DR.. GLADDEN., therefore, is n serious
reflection upon our judges who preside
over our courts, for he assumes that
our judges are such intellectual weak
lings that lawyers can lead them into
making erroneous decisions, or that
judges are SO corruptible rs to crimi-
nally become parties to plot to
"paralyze and defeat the law of the
land.
1t Is true that laws have been par
alyZed and defeated, by being de-
olared unconstitutional or invalid for
some other reason, 1t should be
matter Of earnest regret that more Of
our laws are not declared invalid.
DR.. Gladden's criticisms should have
been directed, not against judges and
lawyers who are merely trying to in
terpret the laws, but against the legis-
latures which enact the laws. The
danger lies not in n scarcity OF laws,
but in u multiplicity of laws. II DR..
GLADDEN. has any fears that the laws,
like the buffalo, are in danger of be.
coming extinct, he need only come TO
Wisconsin, aud he will have no fur
ther alarm when he finds that over
100 bills have been introduced during
the present Legislative session and of
a variety that ought to satisfy every
body from DR.. GLADDEN. to the most
eccentric inhabitant OF Kansas.