New-York tribune., 1908-05-26
]. M. BECK AT COLUMBIA
Defends Lazgyers in address to Lac
School Graduating Glass.

James NJ. Beck former Assistant Attorney Cen
eral of the United States. delivered address TO
the graduating class Of tie Columbia University
Law School yesterday afternoon in Earl Hall on
The Lawyer Society" After saying that
trial by newspaper has nearly suppIanted trial by
the courts Of law he said that lawyers were un-
popular because impressions Of law and lawyers
were obtained through the medium OF fiction and
not, by observation and because the lawyer must
often share public odium with his client. He said;
On more than occasion President Roose-
vet. that universal censor morarIiTn has re-
nua message to the Congress OF 1905 he referred
conduct. especially among business men and in the
great profession of law II is to be regretted that
tenti6n Of studying qn hT Iaw With Joseph f. Cfoa5e
Ter tb Tae VI R p@be 0 fhs HIS ne' poca
Mr. Bryan was even more emphaflc pl In recsnI & ad
will not have SO many who will sell their souls
to make grand larceny possible Perhaps, some
time it Will be less disgraceful for lawyer to as
sst In gigantic robbery than for highwayman to
eDe of sna RG' for UP m she sWeep Indictment of
noble profession. Of which he himself Is a member
app apPrehension Of the true facts
As law is essentially applied morality the Law
does to promote justice between man and
secure absolute right because absolute right in
complicated state Of human society is rarely AZ
lawyer cannot rise superior the conditions
under which he works. He may often advise a
of limitations. but that morally he should pay
Just debt, but he not avoid the statute OF
limitations, even though in Isolated cases II
works ethical injustice. Many disappointed
ltigant has had poor opinion Of the law, and
therefore of lawyers either because he has not OBJ
taned full absolute justice because he is VIC
tim of those general rules of human society, such
the statute Of limitations. which. though they
work hardship in individual cases, most nee
and salutary rules OF general appliCa-
tiOn.
To Mr. Bryan's recent phrase, there is be-
tween the Justice of the courts and absolute JUS
tiCe twilight zone which the genius Of man
has not yet succeeded in spanning Moreover. the
average case is a tangled sken of disputed facts,
ents version Upon the court and not upon the
lawyer rests the ultimate responsibility Of deter
mining in contested cases the law and the facts
Columbia's senior class celebrated its class day
exercises in the university gymnasium yesterday
afternoon. The exercises consisted Of addresses.
songs and the planting Of the class ivy in the
court south Of Hamilton Hall Then there
senior and the class day dance in the evening
in the gymnasium
pounds in weight feet inches in height Foot
ball the favorite sport The Republicans ruled
the class's political affiliations, with enrol
ment Of To- 20 for the Democrats. Twenty
will take up law, II business and Il will become
teachers
SiIty-sfx per cent of the class smokes and SO
per cent admits drinking liquor. The most popular
partment of politics. Professor Herbert G. Lord
declared the peasantest professor, the easiest
to bluff and the best teacher.