The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-28
WE ETHTCs or N.

/ A few weeks age the State Journal
/ commented briefly upon the low ethical
standard that allows lawyers-some
lawy ers-to flop from one side Of a pro
position to the other just for the money
| there is in it. They may hold one set
Of views for one client and then they
may be employed in a case where they
are compelled to hold exactly the re-
verse. In the case which the State
Journal cited an attorneys employment
for one client expired. The other side
Immediately employed him in a matter
which was then pending, and he imme-
dfateIy reversed his arguments in that
identical case. But this is expected Of
lawyers-that is, some lawyers.
An attorney is supposed to be an ad-
wiser Of the court. He Is in theory a
public official who undertakes to aid
the court in getting at the truth OF
given matter. Attorneys take an oath
which makes 1t their duty to aid i'll
securing justice. Some attorneys have
a high regard for this oath-so high
that they will not defend criminals
whom they know to be guilty nor accept
a case where they would have to argue
contrary to their convictions. But all
lawyers are not so conscientious.
"A conspicuous example OL d fOAJ
common practice among attorneys has
recently come to light. A certain mat
ter was pending before a legislative
committee-namely to ascertain wheth-
er the International Harvester company
was trust. This committee was made
up of two attorneys, two implement
dealers who had intimate business re-
lations with the company, and another
ar IN the
average man that q committee of that
sort would be able to judge fairly well
for itself whether the company under
investigation was acting legally. With
two attorneys to interpret the law, two
business men who were pretty we'll in
formed about some of the methods of
the company. and another business man
to balance matters, the committee ought
to have been able to ask questions and |
form it's judgment without any outside
hel0.
Yet the International Harvester COM !
pany thought it was in such danger that
it employed some Topeka attorneys at a |
large fee-said to have been SS,OOO-tO
show this legislative committee that the
company was not a trust. and that it
was as pure as the driven snow
And the committee so found!
Yet President Roosevelt has recently |
given vide publicity to the fact that
the International Harvester company |
was, presumably at this very time en-
gagged in receiving illegal rebates from |
railroads. One Of its employees alleges
that it corrupted at least three legisla- |
lures, and it is somewhat difficult to |
make the people of Kansas believe that |
it was not overriding the antitrust |
laws of Kansas in spite of that COM |
mittee report!
At the same time there was pending |
in the legislature a bill aimed to put |
an end to a certain oppressive practice !
Of this company, compelling implement |
dealers who handled it's machinery to |
sign a contract to handle no other COM
petitive machinery. The defeat Of this /
bill was the all-important thing, and, |
to the reports in Chicago, the |
IS, 900 was for that purpose. And the |
bill died.
To ordinary mortals it looks as
though the attorneys in the case were !
simply byists-common ordinary /
paid lobbyists. And do you remember !
how Governor Herrick denounced lob |
byists in the recent Ohio Republican !
state convention? Do you know that /
there is a movement on foot among |
such men as Governors Deneen of Il |
linois, Hanly of Indiana, Folk of Mis-
souri,, and Herrick of Ohio to put q |
stop of lobbying?
It may be all right for lawyer to
accept a fee of $4,000 to lobby through |
a certain committee report, or to secure !
the defeat of a certain bill Some law /
yeTs seem to think it is all right, just /
as they seem to think it is all right to |
change from one side of proposition |
to another for the money there is in it. |
But it certainly shows a low standard !
of ethics. A newspaper takes no oath /
that requires it to do justice-it is sim |
ply a private business enterprise-yet if
a newspaper would do things some law !
yers do it would deserve and receive |
the scorn and denunciation of the pub
lie.