The Washington herald., 1908-08-25

SeaIrle. " ASH to-day PerlapS IFS most
important work VIII be the reduction OF
The ethics OF the profession into a writ
ten code Organized thirty years ago by
some Of the leading lights of the legal
profession. It has srown until to-day II
has a membership OF $40. made up of
rhe most influential lawyers OF the vsri-
Gus States The association has always
stocd al The forefront OF American legal
and legislative progress. and has func-
toned largely in pointing the way 10
good legislation and a Just enforcement
OF the law The thirty annual reports Of
its proceedings constitute q record Of
wonderful IsEaI progress. II has beer
said that the English interpret the law
by precedent while the American jurist
inCerprsrs il with a view 10 promoting
jlz---e in the particular case involved
Therefore, American law has been a
gradual growth and improves as the
years 50 by. while English law is al
sta1dstlL The American Bar Associa-
ton stands for growth and progress
This year they VIII e1deavor 10 write
their own .-unvritten law. years
there has been a demand thar The prin-
ciplss o. riEEl which should govern the
lawyer ought 10 be reduced In writing
Those who favored i asked II @ve have
an -ClUrltreu law why not write iJ-
The ones who opposed II answered that Il
could not be written broadly enough 10
cover every point and that all lawyers
know The spirit Of it. anyway. But last
year the advocates Of a written code won
out A committee was appointed 20 draw
it I'D for submission To the association As
drawn I'D by that committee II froWns
d0w1 on advertising direct or by inde-
..-.
about the bis cases or hiS fees II says
-la- because a client Is rich does not jus
rfy an imu-derare Zee. and that il is
strictly professional Tor @ LAWYER 10 de-
1erd a client IN whose guilt he believes
In short the code IS such thar II. adopted
and lived out hy The lawyers Of the c0u1-
Irv. t-s day Of the Srys-er. the petit
fosszr. and The dishonest lawyer VIII
have closed. and the mission Of the pro-
.fess-0l VIII be 10 minister as the high
priests al the altar Of justice. there 20
assist IN promoting the right without fear
Of loss OF hope OF reward.
Another question which VIII be colsid-
cred informally II not formally. IS that Cf
reducing the DELAYS and -Le expenses Of
litigation T IS known OF all men that
thousands of people are deferred from
seeking remedies a- law because Of the
expense and e-dl=sslE 6ra vn-out pro
c55lrz q so often involves Judge TAFT
has already lent the force OF his influence
in favor Of a change. and leading lawyers
everywhere are Of the same opinion. so
-ha- IT is probable that q serious effort
VIII be made 10 bring about sucl a
change il the laws OF The States and of
The nation as VIII effect t. The old story
Of the TWO farmers who went 20 law over
cal[ which died twenty years before
The case was ended. and the other one OF
The Two farmers Who went 70 LAW over
cow -u which the one E-iEa-- was o
hold the horns and The other the tail
while the lawyer MIXED. and which ended
by the one LrizaEt getting the horns and
rEe other The tail while the lawyer E0r
-le COW and the milk. are both ap0crv-
p-z- but -Ley Illustrate the delays and
1le expense OF litigation 20 whose Ccrrec-
rr- the Bar Association VII probably
lend Itself
PERHAPS the most notable -yo-k Of The
american Bar Association is its pioneer
Ing in favor Of uniform laws in the vari-
Gus States. The dav was when there was
but LtJ-e interstate business and bur
little trouble was experienced because OF
divorce laws in the different States. N07v
Il aggregates billions upon billions Of dol
lars year. and tens OF thousands OF
people rrlve. 20 and fro. so that the call
Tor uniformity of legislative action IS get
ting louder as The years pass The asso-
cation has O. standing committee fr1u
The various States whose duty il is 20
assist FL securing such uniformity Of
legislation Il has borne fruit already
and the association. feels thar the IesisIs-
-ors Of the country are just awakening 10
--e Importance Of -ls position Uniform
divorce laws. uniform banking laws. uni
form laws with reference 70 negotiable
paper and dozen other propositions are
being advocated By the association
30 profession has ever increased SO
rapidly as -La- ~ the law In 1870 there
were only 516l lawyers in -le United
States By 1902. or only tlir-y years later.
there were -l5.T0. and when the census Of
next year is taken IL is expected 10 show
that -Ee-e are about $1,000 Of them in TIE
United States From -S75 20 1853 the n-al-
Der of theological students increased IS
Per cent. the number OF medical students
increased IL per cent. whi5e the number
/. C- law students Increased 5t3 per cent
from 1850 10 1897 the ratia has continued
Practically the same except thai the
-ellC1S have increased more rapidly than
IN the previous period There are Up
ward Of -505H law students IN The law
schools -t the United States each year
now and they are being turned out into
the profession at the rate Of about 1900 a
year Fourteen thousand new shingles
cate an 0verrr0wded profession. but The
rate OF increase no more than keeps pace
with The expansion OF business There is
SAID 60 have never been a time in the his
tory ct The country when the d7ckets Of
The courts. state and national. have been
so crowded as they are to-day
Many lawyers are regretting the de-
cadence OF the lawy4. from a social
standpoint They assert that he has not
the same social standing in his commu-
ul-y as he once had The vast increase in
The number Of lawyers IN each community
may account for rl5s If It really does ex-
ist- bug there is no indication that IL
does exist when judged by the political
p-5-e1ments OF The people More than
O1z-I1-1 OF ali The members OF the Iegis-
la-lres o1 al the States are said 10 be
lawyers and more than 81 Der cent Of the
governors OF the States are lawyers Only
seventeen OF The ninety members Of the
United states Senate are not lawyers
and q Ike proportion Of the members Of
the House Of Representatives. reached
there by the law route. In 10 profession
are the opportunities for public prefer
r1zn- so great as n the law Next TO it
IS medicine. though the doctor seldom
gets farther than the legislatures. = few
or them ser through the political mill as
lar IS the House Of Representative. Rep-
reseutarlves Burton, OF Delaware Foster
Of Illinois, A. =. James. Of Kentucky
and bz. Ss-5S Of Pennsylvania are the
medical men who reached the House dur
ms the SiXrieth Congress Jacob H. Gal
-nser. Of New Hampshire. is the only