The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-27

Portland, Me, Aug. 26.-The thir-
tieth annual meeting of the American
Bar association opened today Two
hundred delegates had arrived and as
many more are expected by tomorrow.
The hall was we'll filled when President
Alton B. Parker called the association
to order. The important feature will
be a report by the committee on life
Insurance legislation, which will lbe
made tomorrow.
Chief Justice Moy of the Maine su-
preme court extended the state bars
welcome. President Parker was loud
ly applauded when he arose to deliver
his address, which was as follows:
Neither we, nor the thousands of our
predecessors or associates in the Amer
can Bar association during all the
years of it's history, have attended its
meetings for selfish reasons. We do
not seek to serve here the interests of
any client, nor do we receive a fee for
coming. There can be no expectation
that the information acquired will aid
in the cases that are to be showered
upon us in the fullness of time. We
know well how we shall prepare for
each of those, working it out alone I'M
til Ii has been mastered in every de-
tail of fact and in every proposition of
law.
Nor do we come for recreation. De-
lightful as Portland is, hospitable as
are her people, warm-hearted as is
their greeting, we shall nevertheless
depart, though with regret, when the
session is over. We shall carry away
pleasant memories, but we must meet
elsewhere engagements which may be
professional, or which have rest and
recreation for their purpose. What
ever they may be, they have been in
terrupted in order to assure our pres
ence at this melting. Sacrifices of
some kind have been made by every
lawyer who attends this annual assem-
bly,.
Elevation of Profession.
What then moves US? The answer is
not far to seek. We are here because
we have ideals Each of us would ele-
vate the standard of the profession,
strengthen the bench, make the admin
istration of justice more simple, more
rapid. more exact, not only in the state
from which he comes but in every
state throughout the nation. No one
81 US has a workable plan which comes
Up to his ideals, or hopes to be able
DO evolve it. But, as in union there is
Strength, so in a multitude of counsel
1OrS there is wisdom Therefore, each
year finds US coming together striving
for these ideals, each willing and anx-
ious 10 do his part.
1t is well that we do so. Nat all has
been accomplished that has been
striven for in the past. Much has been
done, however, and greater achieve
ment will reward us in the years to
come. Only from the efforts of a peo-
pie to attain high ideals can true prog
ress result. The boy at school may
fix a higher standard of achievement
than either health or intellect will per-
nit him to reach, but he will grow into
a better, a stronger and more useful
man because of his ideals and his
effort.
High Ideals of Lawyers.
There is no profession, trade or bust
ness whose members as a body have
higher ideals than have lawyers as a
class. We cannot deny that there are
many among them with no higher aim
than mere money making, nor can we
say that there are not a considerable
number who are so destitute of char
acter as to disgrace the bar. Unfor-
tunately this is true. But such are the
minority. The great majority are ideal
lists who love justice, and seek it not
only for clients but for society at large.
They are not mere machines select
ing and grinding out authorities by
which the courts are to be bound. For
where a well-considered case can be
found in which the facts are identical
the law is settled and the court has
but to follow 1t. There is no oppor-
tunity for controversy. The discus
siOnS in court are, therefore, as a rule,
In cases where there is no previous de-
cision based upon precisely the same
circumstances. The aim of both court
and counsel is to work out justice in
that special instance. and, at the same
time. to establish a sound rule. To MD
the court. counsel present principles
which they deem pertinent and empha-
size the custom of the people relating
thereto. This is vital because the foun-
dation of our unwritten law lies in
the habits and customs of the people
1t has often and truly been said, but
never so well as in the address of