The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-29
State Most Change Judicial
 System in Vogue, Soy LaWyers.

 der he commenced reading his opening
 President Bromberg's Address. Gentlemen of the Alabama State Bar
 Association:
 Somewhat more than twenty-eight ganized in this city, in the Hall of the House of Representatives, by num- Der of members of the bar from all parts of the State and was incorporat- ed within the following month by the act ITO incorporate the Alabama State l2. 1879. (Acts of Ala. 1s7s-7s, D. 1s0)
 The declared purposes and objects of declared to be: 'To advance the Sci- ence of Jurisprudence, promote the ad- ministration of justice throughout this State, uphold the honor of the profess sion of the law. and establish cordial intercourse among the members of the Bar of Alabama"
 Those who remain living of the of- ficers chosen at that meeting are only our venerated Senior Senator in the United States Senate. Judge Somerviile of the United States Board of Apprais- CTS at New York, and the present Sec- retary and Treasurer of our Associa- tion, who has been the able and devot- whose mission has been to keep alight the sacred fires upon its altars. Of the others who took prominent parts In that meeting of January 15, 1879, few Tsmaa wIiiiam Brooks. s lacy w. L. nrsss Jo seph Wheeler W. G. Little, Jr.. Thom- as H. Watts, Gaylord B. Clark John Little Smith and H. A. Woolf have left us one by one. and the e. pages or iries of their lives and works.
 This Association is the offspring Of the public spirit of the lawyers who founded 1t.
 President Eliot of Harvard Universi- ty said in an address to citizens of Boston: Public spirit is virtue Of free men, of free governments. 1t IS naturally unknown in despotisms. It is developed only among men who feel responsibility for the welfare of the communities in which they live, and who propose to exert themselves and to make personal sacrifices In order to promote that welfare. There are sew .eral European languages in which there Is nb equivalent for the phrase public spirit but the British people and the American people have long known what those words meant Pub lie spirit Involves consideration for the welfare of others. It involves the sac- rifices of ones own interest, ones own time, one's own labor. It involves. in short, cooperative work for the benefit of others, cooperative. work. however, which includes the benefit of one's self or one's family. It is an interest for the entire community. It is dispo- sition to work and give and save Tor the benefit of the community"
 Lawyers Illustrate Point.
 Gentlemen of the Alabama State Bar Association: The lawyers who founded this Association are illustrations of President Eliot's words You. also, who have gathered here, in most cases at considerable personal expense, and a sacrifice of material comfort and pe- cuniary interests, illustrate his weighty sentences. Would that every member of the Bar of this State were as sensi- ble of the duty resting upon him by virtue of his membership in the pro- fession, as those who contribute of their means, of thsir time, and with their presence to tho high purposes of our Association.
 should be regarded as next in import anee to the meetings of the Legisla- ture.
 Out of our ranks proceed the judges who preside over the courts which con- strue the laws. Accordingly. therefore. as the Bar of State Is learned. high toned and conscientious, so will it's courts be learned. high-toned and con- bcientious.
 Through thcir decisions courts i'm duence legislation; in fact, shape it.
 There Is hardly an opinion of im- portance put out by an appellate court that does not contain dicta which re- fleets the science, learning and culture of the judge who utters them.
 Those dicta announce the opinion of the court on the question presented, and the Legislature acts in reliance upon the decisions in which they are promulgated. (Wilson vs. Shaw, 20A U. s. 24, 36.)
 In my humble opinion the future well-being of the State or want of 1t depends largely upon the efficiency, or want Of efficiency of this ouf Associa- tion.
 Holding the views I have just ex- pressed the members of the Associa- tion will credit me with sincerity when l say, that am very grateful to the friends who presented my name for the office have held the past year and to the other members who ratified their action, and I return my thanks to all at this. my first, opportunity to do so
 shall bear the memory of the honor of presiding over this great Associa- tion during the remaipder of my days as that of the most prized episode of
 5The greater part of the address of President Bromberg according to the requirements of the Association Con- stitution, Is devoted to a review Of the legislation by Congress and the different States, since the last meet ing. The matter is treated with great force, but the great length forbids it's publication in full in these columns)
 MT, Bromperg's closing words were as follows:
 And now in closing allow me to