The Columbus journal., 1908-08-12

Because He II Regarded % Q
s'Con Man. He Cets the \
Peoples Business.
~ CRATCH . lawyer and you will
ind . politician. 1t did not need
Al IN aoQuaintance with practical
politics 70 know that the mem.
bern OF my profession were active
participants n the game. But a
time went @ was surprised to
ind the vast and far-rsaching innu'
sncs that tAey welded. II . man
really sets out to make politics
his profession, he would better FIRST
study Law and get admitted to the bar.
The average popular impression Of .
lawyer In the submerged tenth" At
mosphere of political surroundings. IL
hat he - - confidence man." But
h that enviroament this II considered
% q valuable asset. To be slick. "
smooth, to b hailed a. . ''schemer"
By this contingent II to have its most
profound homage. In such labyrinths
Il the political catacombs their idea
Of . hwyer il . man who can make .
good talk and twist tho ''law'' any way
TO suit the necessities OF the occasion.
But he Il always . man to be looked
up to and consulted with.
The result Of this outlook ON the
legal profession IL to send various
young fellows to the law colleges. and
to the private o1ices of full-hedged at
torneys. In their endeavor to get Id
mitted to practice and have the right
to hang out Q single" II they are
Of foreign nationality they readily &C.
quire . 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 courtr0oms Of the JUS
tees Of the peace. particularly the po-
lice magistrates. In those days they
did not even need q license to practice
before . Justice. And all the time they
we're mixing in the primary fights. get
for the legislature q little later on, and
even making bold "stabs" at getting
the nomination for state senators.
ran across them In every direction.
and most Of them were 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 ''hustlers!" A lot
of them were studying law" few of
them were admitted by favor of a Ger
tificate from one of the legal mills"
otherwise known as law colleges, and
some others we're practicing before
the justices on the "catch-as-catch-can"
plan of professional ethics. and de-
pending on what is popularity known
as pull" or drag" to get their clients
OF. Each justice knew about how
much influence petitioner for anyone
had who appeared before him. II 1t
was lawyer who was also an alder
man tquite q frequent occurrence).
the course Of Justice was extremely
apt to be tempered with mercy" to say
the least Fines were suspended" on
future good behaviour. men let 60 on
their personal recognizance," fines
were made as low as the law allowed,
and other favors bestowed on many
Of these legal lights. An alderman
who was lawyer was expected to put
In his time for nothing. depending on
future political favors for his reward.
There vas very little money In 1t 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
aeld he would bump up" against all
sorts Of legal talent; country lawyers
AZ shrewd IS they make them. "s.nged
CATS" not SO much for looks. but
CRATER 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
seinbly, or stayed on the outside and
put in their efforts for just legislation.
There was never q glut of lust legis-
lation" that l can remember. And
yet. like Brutus. Cassius, ct al, they
were all. all, honorable men. I don't
suppose that q penny of money was
ever spent for improper legislation in
the state legislature. l don't suppose
that laws were passed by undue in
huence Of corporations or individuals,
I don't suppose that there was q lobby
at the state capital. l don't suppose
that there were cliques and rings in
the legislature. which worked to-
gether. regardless of politics, to run
legislation for what there was In
It." But what can an honest minori-
ty dor
As for reformers. the legislature
had them for breakfast" when they
had the hardihood to kick against the
pricks.
In the city, the lawyers had OF ne
cessity the choice of all judicial Of
fees. Chief among these were the
judgeshipR and once 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. 1t
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 and were out