The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-07-21
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
District Attorney Jerome on Its
Power and Some of Its Evils.
RAPs CRITICISM OF loGss

SAYS Man Who Declares He Is lndif-
ferent to Public Opinion Is Either a
Fool or a Knave-Lawyer's Duty
to It.
Warm Springs. Ga, July 20.-Dis.
trict Attorney Jerome. Of New YORK
delivered an address on Public Opln'
ion. MS Power. Some of It's Evils ana
lniusliccs. and ON Duty as Lawyers
TO It," before the Georgia Bar Asso-
citation.
In the course of his address Mr.. Je-
rome referred to President Roose'
vclrs criticism of United Ltates
court Judge saying.
There is one injustice which public
opinion not infrcqucntly does. and 1t
is one which lawyers can do much to
correct. and that is the criticism oI
Judges for decisions which they could
not avoid making If they obeyed the
laws. the recent spectacle OF the ma
tons chief executive. himself not a
lawyer. criucising in public docu'
ment federal Judge for his decision
ON a point of law. has not, ! believe,
commended itself to our profession
The laws are our laws. Public opinion
made them and can change them.
Every citizen has right 10 criticisc
them and seek their amendment or re.
peal but while they are our laws We
want our Judges to obey them and not
substitute for them something they
lccm I'm accord with p thing go mu
mablo and 800 difficult to ascertain as
pnblic opinion. The sounfncss Of a
Judges legal Judgment and the wisdom
of a particular law may we'll be called
In question. but an honest decision
should not expose The judge himself
10 criticism
In the beginning Mr.. Jerome said
there are mon. guided by high sense
of duty. VINO will lo and continue 10
do their duty as they seo IL. regardless
of the majority opinion which We call
nuhlio opinion. but with enort and de-
preston
"The man who declares he IS indif
forcnt 10 public opinion. said Mr.. Je
rome. IF Doc is NOT a fanatic. is toe
often something of fool and a knavo
a lnaye to lie and a fool To think
YOU believe him. To n public officer
the discharge OF his duty. with or I'm
The face of public opinion. is Ike The
difference in The running of an engine
with oiled or sandcd bearings. Whnt
ever its cause and whatever It's his
tory. public opinion stands today a
the most important single influence IN
the life of the nation
"1n many parts Of the country, and
especially in our great cities. n man
ability 10 command hearing must
largely depend upon the newspapers
and it g. hy them that the greatest jus
tiec and sometimes The greatest inius.
uoc g. dome. II public opinion is the
greatest ino,e force In our public Ire
surely She newspaper IS lncomparably
the greatest factor in It's formation and
spread
As To- the part the speaker contended
lawyers shorld take in influencing pub.
lie opinion. Mt Jerome said.
"Our legislative bodies are largely
composed Of lawyers. and many Of ON
chief executive and administrative OH
GERS are lawyers For veal or for woe
in proportion 10 our numbers We are
or can De-. the most influential body OF
men in the country. This power brings
responsibilities which cannot honora'
biy Do avoided. with the almost IN
limited and extending power OF public
opinion our duty grows greater and
more clearly defined II right-minded
mon DO not form and direct IL, other-
VIII. All public welfare depends upon
its belng wise and progressive and not
revolutionary. To make il such We
must often incur IT, wrath. hard as il
IS TO bear but when We are brave. right
and honcst We may count confidently
M, ITS coming to MS "