The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-03-04

* a. e = & & 81 * - .. s a. 80 a. a. A.
of a question, and doubt whether
any other class of our citizens is bet.
ter qualified to give public question
that consideration which 1t deserves.
/ am. therefore, OF the opinion that
an attorney owes 1t to himself. to his
profession, and particularly to the peo-
pie at large to inform himself upon
every important public question and
after having done so, to openly, fear
lessly and periodically advocate or
oppose the same according to his in
vestigatlon leads him. His position
should be taken, not because of his
connection with any interest as at
torney, not because Of any aff1liation
not because OF any business or profes-
sional adyancements, but because a
full and fair investigation OF the sub
ject has convinced him as to what is
right and to the best interest of the
people as whole.
A position upon an important pub
lie question should only be taken after
full investigation and then that opin-
ion should be expressed in way to
convince thinking people that it is an
honest opinion and that in arriving at
that opinion you have not been infiu-
enced by your employment by any eli
emit. be It corporation or labor union,
nor because you belond to any politi-
cal party.
One OF the unfortunate results of
our political system is that almost ev-
cry man in political life makes his
opinions conform to the demands of u
majority Of the others OF his district,
and his opinions change in accordance
with the whims OF his constituents.
But few men in political life have the
courage to oppose either the leaders
Of their party, or the rank and file of
their own district.
No dictator has ever controlled q
country as has Bryan the Democratic
party or Roosevelt the Republican par
ty. For man in either party to have
an opinion contrary to his leader and
give expression to It invites political
decapitatlon. and in addition he is call.
ed liar and an enemy of his coun.
try.
What this country needs, and it
needs it now more perhaps than at
any time in its history. Is men with
the ability to reach an honest opin-
ion upon public matters unbiased and
unInnuenced by business. political or
personal relations or associations, and
who have the courage to give express
sion to their opinions.
AS nation and people we are fast
breaking away from the principles
of government upon which We have so
greatly prospered and are taking up
new and untried theories, and we are
throwing off the old and taking up
with the new so rapidly that we are
unable to tell whether the change is
for the better or worse.
Between the new Oklahoma constt-
tuition. which is nothing more nor less
than code of laws with the initia-
tive and referendum and other untried
theories and those who advocate put
ting all forms of business activity
within the pale of federal supervision
and the doing away with State control
and regulation. we have come to the
place where he must learn our FIRST
principles" anew. We have arrived
at a period in our history when the
man with the newest theory, the lat
est dream, has the call; when the man
who Is unwilling to fall in with these
Missionaries in dubbed fogy and re-
dictionary. There may be good in
these new ideas, and doubtless Is; we
ought to improve as we grow older.
but let us make the change gradual
ly and in good order. Let us not cut
the old boat loose and hope to build a
new one in the middle Of the stream.
The time has come for the conser.
vative element of our people to take
hold of things and insist that we do
not run away with ourselves.
In my opinion no class of our peo-
pie is better qualified to do this than
those OF the legal profession. I do
not mean to imply that MS class they
have more ability or that they are
more patriotic. but that their habits
and training enable them to look at
question from all sides.
If the legal profession will take that
part in public affairs that It is quail
fed to take and that 1t should take,
and will give the public the benefit Of
It's Investigations and conclusions,
much OF the Wild and impractical leg
islation that now finds its way to our
statute books would never zee the
The ftine that needed e a IN