Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-08-24
Il. ST. GEO. fuckers
SPLENDID ADDRESS

SPLENDID ADDRESS
Continued from first pagc)
principles of genuine honesty; and
without disparaging the one. but mp
holding it with carncSincss. dare
venture to assert that the real need of
America today in the transaction of
private business and in the mollng of
lofty public sentiment is the high
toned, honorable. conscientious law
yer.
Debar the shyster.
"No more Difficult question can bc
presented to this association. or 10
those auxiliary associations III the diff
fcreni States, than that of purEing its
membership of the unworthy member
who brings dishOnOr upon the whole
profession. Instances of irrcgularity
and dishonesty will only be known tn
those nf Tho local har where the dcrc-
lict conducts his immoral practices;
personal, social and even political tics
render il frying and embarrassing 20
bring the guilty to Justice; hut if our
profession is TO receive the reward
which is its just due. and is to ac-
complish the high aim for which II is
Oh and carried out fcarlessly and thor
Oughly
81 make bold to venture another
suggestion for the same purpose that
the system. known as tho honor SyS-
tenn, be speedily adopted in every law
school i'm America. a system by which
the young man at the very beginning
of his legal education is brought to-
realize that in The crucial test to which
he is subjected by examination for
graduation he is not to be watched as
n suspect or guarded as folon, but
he is ~ he allowed tn work ont his
own examination with simple re-
'aRfsSe pr o lh9Te Ra42 mil be- done
without assistance from any source.
Result of Honor System.
If at the very threshold of his pro-
| fCsSionul education, and all through
| II, for three years, he is brought to
realize that Il system of espionage is
| necessary to keep him from doing
wrong. and that adopting the Spartan
idea he may he guilty of any theft, if
emily he omits the sin of detection
what must he the effect upon. him
whtu that system is withdrawn and
he is uSfcrcd into the broad fields Of
his professional life. with no one 10
wdtcli him in his dealings. With has
client and with no eye upon him OK
! ccpt the Eye that never slumbcrs ntr
sleeps? Can man be trusted to meet
the temptation of professional life,
| without 4 watcher or a. Spdttcr. who
! is implicitly told by the presence pi
such during the progress of his ctlucp.
ton that such ;.n officer is needed 10
| insure nnaldcd returns upon cxarji-
| nations? The honor system docs not
work perfection; the incorrigblc miy
still escape it's ennobling Influences,
but the very willingness of the authoti-
| ties to adopt such a.. system of Itself
| stimulates The weak and strengthens
| the strong; and wherever this system
has been adopted il has worked iik,
Il charm, in creating manly scn,i.
mcnt of honor and integrity and cor
responding scorn of chicanery and de
ccptinn, not only during the pcr,nl of
examinations. but i'll all the paths If
college life, and while occasionally
some are found to violate its rules.
they arc, under the system snmmarily
dealt with by the student body Hith
cut the aid of or even consultation
with the faculty, and are thereby com
| PEELED to leave the institution in dis
grace. while their punishment and
| y
may be weak; and surely il is far
better that those who are incapable
OF approaching the high position Of
trust and confidence that the lawyer
must occupy to the public should ut
the beginning of life be excluded from
the profession rather than he allowed.
through long life, to plumber and dc.
spoil coniiding clients.
Closing Appeal.
! My closing appeal to the rcprcscn-
tativcs of the American Bar Associ1-
ton. who stand forth clothed in priest
ly robes, as ministers at the altar of
Justice, is for the vindication of the
claim that the profession of the Jaw
is he most cnnobling and powerful for
good of ell the secular professions.
With our loins girded and our lamps
burning. our association, by keeping
alive the fires of professional purity
upon her affairs. may, in working out
her future destiny. add to her proud
achievements i'm the history of our
beloved country still richer trophies
in the progress of our noble profess
sicn.''