The sun., 1908-06-11
HUGHES TO new LAWYERS
GOVERNOR ADVISES FORDHAM'S
FIRST Law GRADUATES.
Respect the Courts and the Decisions They
Make, He Tells the vanguard OF tho
New school-The Ideal Lawyer. VINO
seeks Not Wealth, May Stili Be Found.


seeks Not wealth, May Stiii Be Found.
Gov. Hughes came all the way from
Albany Yesterday to be present last evening
at the first commencement of the Fordham
University school Of law in the theatre OF
the College Of st. Francis Xavier in West
Sixteenth street. The first graduating
class numbers only SIX members, but
already there are 100 students In the Glasses
behind this years graduates, and all the
signs are that the school will continue to
grow even faster
The Rev. Daniel j. Quinn. president Of
Fordham University. presided over the
graduating exercises. and with him on the
platform sat distinguished company. In
addition to Gov. Hughes. 'Vicar-General
Mooney and Dean Fuller OF the law school.
there were Alton B. Par ker. President
MCGOWAN OF the Board Of Aldermen. Eugene
phlbin, ex-Justice Morgan j. O'Brien. ex-
Justice Leventritt and Justices Amend.
bowling. stapleton. O'Gorman and Brady.
and ex-Justice DAILY, William NJ. Byrne,
Hugh Kelly and ex-Corporation Counsel
John j. Delany.
Gov. Hughes got a rousing greeting when
he stepped upon the stage along with the
other guests. Immediately thereafter Eu-
gene F. McGee. one Of the prize men OF
the graduating class, made an address on
Law and the Legal Profession" The
crowd that filed the theatre listened as
attentively as similar gatherings invariably
do and appauded just as enthusiastically.
Dean Fuller made little talk In which
he referred to the Governor as lawyer
who had discharged all his duties so faith
fully that he now had for his clients the
5000 900 inhabitants of the Empire State.
The dean presented the graduates to
President Quinn. who conferred upon them
the degree of bachelor OF laws and pre-
sented to them their diplomas.
The Governors address was a straight
from the shoulder talk from a lawyer Of
experience to lawyers about to get ex-
perience. In the course Of his remarks the
Governor had this to say of the courts:
.In your dealings with the courts you
will ever be respectful and have due regard
to the dignity of the bench This is COM
munity of law and order. We have our
difficult problems. We have umpires to
settle them. II there is any man on the
bench who does not do his duty let the
fact be shown. but let us have respect for
the umpires who decide our questions and
let us uphold the majesty OF the law az
it is Interpreted by the Judges chosen by
the people"
The Governor began by saying that no
profession could rise higher than ideals.
and he declared that if the graduates in
cluded any whose first object was the ac-
auisition Of wealth that man was in the
wrong profession. The Governor added
that he had never known a lawyer who had
a talent for acquisition who would not have
made more money in some other field Of
endeayor
@Thelideals Of the bar said hs, .are not
the attainment OF wealth. The man who
goes to the bar Is one who takes keen de-
light in intellectual work-a man who has
these days, when there is much talk Of the
commercialismbof the bar. when the rewards
Of skill and ingenuity of enterprise are
dangled before the eyes Of lawyers. 1t is
s son 4ea Of
mastery, Of the rewards OF the man who 10
willing to give himself that he may own and
achieve and care naught for anything which
may be regarded a. valuable In the market
place.
The Governor added that the true lawyer
was man Of personal independence. @He
has no right" he said, sto hold up his head
among the members OF the bar II his opinion
can be bought or he can be persuaded to 60
contrary to his convictions by any retainen.
There are many men In this oity who are
living up to that ideal. It is an old ideal
Of the bar and It will remain Il we are TO
have our old ideal Of the bar, and II will
remain. remain Il we may have just confidence in
The Governor urged the young lawyers
to see to 1t that their standards Of living
were such that they did not become enslaved
while they thought they were pursuing
Independence. III you start out. he said,
with the idea that you will 80 limit your
expenses and your manner Of living there
will never be a time when you cannot say
to client who desires you to do an i'm
proper thing: There is the door, 1t is q
simple question Of what you desire most.
II you desire temporary advantages,
hyou desire Immediately that which money
alone can procure, you will soon find your
self become so entanged that after while
you will say There Is no escape and you
will listen to what others say about the in
dependence OF the bar and you will know
that that you are nothing but hirelins and
The Governor urged frankness with
clients. He said that lawyer must learn
to do his own thinking and master his own
problem. In this way he could learn for
himself things that otherwise he would
later on after long litigation be informed
fby the Court Of Appeals.
Some people, ne added. ARE con-
stantly worry ing about the question whether
a lawyer has any right to act in the case
OF client whom he believes to be guilty
to do he declared. was to see that every
man got justice. He urged the importance
OF control Of ones temper and added
1T is no sign Of greatness to be impatient,
and passion Is no sign of vigor. Have
strong, convictions, but don't hit below
the belt
moment later he declared that 1t was
not too much to say that the success Of the
American Government depended on the
success Of the ideals OF the bar in their
hold on the practitioners of the law.
You have no right he said "to advise
your eli ents to try to trick the law. You
have no right to try to subvert the Constitu-
non. You have no right to try to shape
Things 30 that this or that interest may get
the better Of the State.
We have the greatest country and the
greatest opportunity the world ever saw,
and it all depends on being able to call
TO the service Of the State men whom no
special interest can buy. t. depends upon
insisting that every man who processes to
represent the people shall recognize his
accountability to them alone
The Governor was applauded for fully
a minute at the conclusion Of his speech
Inc exercises were concluded with brief
talk by Vicar-General Mooney.
lhe six graduates were Thomas Breslin,
Louis C. Hartman. Thomas G. Larxin. Vim
cent l. Leibell, Joseph j. Lilly and Eugene