The Washington herald., 1909-05-16

the place and got it entering upon my
work or January :. ISS3 My salary was
Sl,0e0 a year. II was an old-fashioned
firm. and its Offices we're n an old-fash-
iOned building. With steep spiral stair
ways made Of iron. II four years was
admitted 20 the partnership. Coinc!dent-
ally, We moved. after having had our
Offices IN the sane place sor 1fty-one
years. TIE frm celebrated is centenary
in 1906. One client. q savings bank had
been on our books since the year ISls, and
another client. also a savings bank. had
.-e7dily employed Us since the year 1S29.
I am. of course. no longer connected with
the frn
You have been what Is couveatiouaIly
known as corporation lawyer I said.
Z suppose So" Mr. Wickersham an
sweTed. although NY most profitable bust
ness. perhaps. has been done for bankers
IN the work OF reorgaaizing large enter
pTises. and so o."
Changes In Law Practice.
IN what way is the practice Of law
different from what It used 10 be?r
When I was a young man. in Phila-
delphia. the leaders Of the bar were seen
in court almost every day. They were
familiar figures 10 I'll of the officers. and
we're Known personally by the judges.
The complexity OF modern business and
the complexity Of regulations. State and
Federal, however. entirely changed the
metho5s and the practice OF lawyers. The
evolution Of commerce, transportation.
end industry. OF. IN other words. the de-
velOpne1t Of civilization. has resulted
n what IS broadly known as corporate
! finance. The little factory has become an
immense establishment and has been
Joined to other great establishments.
/ Men OF large affairs can no longer afford
/ 20 waste their tine and money fl law
suits We can say. therefore, that this
has become sn age Of arbitration Manu-
/ factuTers. merchants. and bankers hesi-
/ tate TO raise questions When. upon
/ necessity. 2 question Is raised. lawyers are
called IN. not 10 begin costly. tiTne-con-
| suming. and troublesome litigation. but to
reach a quick understanding. without
/ seeking the shelter or advantages-and
also the delays-of the courts.
The whole theory Of modern business
/ IS 10 do away with friction Trade dis
I putes among members IN the stock and
other exchanges, for instance, are almost
I invariably settled nowadays BY commit
! tees appointed for the purpose Formerly.
when enc broker thought he had suffered
I loss through another. he eagerly and an
/ griIy gave himself up to war, at his cost
/ fl both character and money. venture
to say that fully 50 per cent of the law
suits entered in New York City to-day
are based on personal injuries sustained
On railways and IN manufacturing estab-
/ lishments-
All Things Make for Peace.
Even nations have begun 10 under
stand that they are simply aggregations
o. human beings, and that what is good
for the individual is equally good for
them. So all things are logically making
for peace Business men. under the
wholesome discipline Of modern condI-
tons. are learning self-control. and. 1
might say. the economics of human na-
ture. We hear the roar of competition
and see the strenuous rush for money
and success. but we sometimes overlook
! their ethical value
The practice OF Law has also changed
greatly, because business men now re-
GUire constant advice. Il is no ionrer
SoAC 70 A0A z SlOIes factory. or BANK
without pilot who knows the shoals.
sandbars, and rocks with which the COM
piexity Of regulation has filed the chan
rels Of practically all kinds of business.
telephone was at my elbow in my New
York Office. and q large part of nv time
was spent in replying to questions. In
morals and by all the recognized rules OF
fair trade I might tell a client. You are
JustiSed In doing the thing YOU have sug-
sesteo, but an act % the New York iegis-