The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-08-18


participants IL the game. But Is
time went on I vas surprised 10
md the vast and farfeaching inau.
ence that they welded. II a man
really sets out to make politics
bis profession, he would better first
study Law and get admitted to the bar.
The average popular impression Of a
lawyer Ia the submerged tenth" at
mosphere Of political surroundings, is
that Ne Is "a confidence man." But
In that environment this IS considered
a. valuable asset. To be slick"
smooth" to be hailed as a 'schemer"
by this contingent is to have its most
profound homage In snch labyrlnths
Of the political catacombs their idea
Of lawyer Is man who can make a
good talk and twist the law" any way
70 suit the necessities Of the occasion.
But he Is always man TO be looked
up to and consulted with.
The result Of this outlook on the
legal profession Is to send various
young fellows to the law COLLEGES. and
to The private Offices OF full-aedged at.
torneys. in their endeavor 10 get ad.
mltted to practice and have the right
to hang out a shiugle" II they are
Of foreign nationality they readily &C.
qnire a knowledge Of the English Ian
guage. and can, Of course, speak their
own native tongue. In this way they
used to pick up little practice hang
Ing around the courtrOoms Of the jus
tices Of the peace, particularly the po-
lice magistrates. In those days they
did not even need a license to practice
before justice. And all the time they
we're mixing in the primary fights, get.
ting on the delegate tickets, running
for the legislature a little later on. and
even making bold "stabs" at getting
the nomination for state senators. I
ran across them In every direction,
and most OF them we're almost entirely
innocent Of any legal knowledge. "The
rule in Shelley's case" was no differ.
ent to them from the rule IN any fel-
lows case. No reason why Shelley"
should have any the best Of it,"
But weren't they @hustlersl" A lot
Of them were studying law" a few Of
them we're admitted BY favor OF a Ger.
tiAcate from one Of the legal mills"
otherwise known as law colleges. and
some others were practicing before
the justices on the scatch-as-catch-can'
plan OF professional ethics, and de.
pending on what is popularity known
as pull" or drag" to get their clients
OFF. Each justice knew about how
much influence a petitioner for anyone
had who appeared before him. If It
was lawyer who was also an alder
man (quite a frequent occurrence),
the course Of justice was extremely
apt TO be tempered with mercy" to say
the least Fines we're Suspended" on
future good behaviour, men let go on
their personal recognizance," fines
We're made as low as the law allowed.
and other favors bestowed on many
OF these legal lights. An alderman
who was a lawyer was expected TO put
in his time FOR nothing. depending on
future political fayors for his reward
There was very little money in it for
him.
The candidates for the legislature
were occasionally numerous as legal
aspirants. Each one OF them knew
that when he got down to Spring
field he would bump up against all
sorts Of legal talent country lawyers
as shrewd as they make them, "singed
cats" not so much for looks, but
craftier than "all get.out." So the
stepping-stone par excellence for law
making preference was to be a mem
Der Of the bar. When they reached
the legislature they either got in with
the "grafters. II there happened to
be grafters In that session Of the as
sembly. or stayed on the outside and
put in their efforts for just legislation.
In the city, the lawyers had OF ne
cesslty the choice OF all judicial Of
fees. Chief among these were the
1udgeships, and once a lawyer was
elected judge he could usually retain
the position for another term. often
for several terms. But he would not
play politics" until along about time
for an election TO take place II
rather amused. and sometimes dis.
gusted, me to see the patent hypocrisy
OF these members Of the judiciary. BE.
fore getting the chance to run they
cast dignity to the winds aud we're out
after the nomination as hot as Her.
cules. They would get young fellows
TO chase around helping them drum up
support In the bar primary "a sort
OF kissing goes by favor expression
OF the Bar assoeiatlonp). and they
were not at al too proud to shake
hands with perspirlng ward workers
and BOSSES and even laugh al stale
pleasantries about the outlook. But
oh What difference in the morn.
ing'-the morning after election
mean-if they happened to get elected.
After the first flush OF JOY 10 victory
had passed away, how the dignity Of
their position would enyeop them and
enfold them aud swathe them with
successive layers Of selfesteem until
they could swell up and Out no longer.