Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-03
ADMISSION TO BAR.
Rep. Dunn Approves and Numerous
Weli-known Lawyers Oppose Change.

brewer ALONE appeared before the COIL
mittee on legal affairs Tuesday after
noon on the amendment to the law
providing that a person might be adj
| mitted to the bar if he was successful
| i'll passing the examinations without
passing three years in lawyers office
OF in a school of law. The proposed
| amendment was opposed by Charles f.
Libby OH Portland, Chief Justice Lu-
cillius A. Emery of Ellsworth, f. c.
! Ryder of Bangor and President Deasy
of the Senate, the president of the
Maine Bar Association
The oppOne nts of the measure were
first heard, Charles f. Libby of Port
| land talking about Is minutes in which
he stated that the average man in the
| practice of law today needs more study
and more preparation than ever before.
Il cannot think of anything that will
do more to deteriorate the standing of
the bar than the passage of this pro-
posed amendment" said Mr. Libby.
| '"this is an age of experts and man
who is not an expert isn't getting much
| from the community. To admit that
careful preparation for admission to
| the bar is a weakness. In Cumber-
land county l failed to find a single
lawyer of any standing who said that
this bill is wise. 1t would surely be
q mistake to "let down the bars"
Chief Justice Emery stated that he
did not know that a hearing on this
bill was scheduled today. He happen
ed to be in the committee room and
was holding court in the city.
Il doubt if this bill is demanded by
| h Of
said the chief justice, "And 1 further
doubt that if the bill passes that there
will be many young men who will take
advantage of it. There are people in
this country who advertise ito prepare
men for various branches of learning
IN a few weeks, so that they may be
able to pass the examinations. If that
is to be the test you will not get a
very high grade of lawyers. The court
depends upon the bar. Speaker Reel
once said that a man could not learn
the rules of the House by reading
hooks, he must be III the atmosphere
Nor can a young man become a law
yer by reading Blackstone or Kent in
| his room.
| "A young man learns a mass of in
| formation in a lawyers Office by com
| ing in actual contact with the work.
Shall we of the law recede. shall we
require less preparation? We would
not trust our bodies to q doctor who
had read medical books in his room.
More than health is justice. Shall we
| intrust justice to young men who prac
! tice law who have had no prepara-
tom"
| Erastus c. Ryder of Bangor argued
that the proposed law was a backward
| step. The young man who intends to
become a lawyer should have the dis
cipline which he would set by passing
some time in lawyers office. The
legal profession has been raised by
the present law and this profession
never stood better in the State of
Maine than it does today. due to the
present law. There are, it is true,
young men who would make good law
yers even if they spent no time in q
| lawyers Office or in Il school Of law, bat
| they are exceptions He did not be
lieve that laws should be passed to
cover exceptions.
| President Deasy of the Senate, who
is the president of the Maine Bar As
snciation, said that he voiced the sen
| timent of the whole association in OPP
posing the passage of the bill. He be
| lieved with the other speakers that the
| law would tend to lower the stand
ard of the profession and that the pub
| lie does not need more lawyers but
| be tier ones. This law would lower the
standard and nothing should be done
| to do that.
At this point Representative Dunn
| and addressed tbe committee
Il realize that 1 am addressing Il
committee of lawyers" said Rep. Dunn,
"But when l hear these lawyers, learn
Ell in the profession. talk about this
proposed law they have in the way
| they do, it makes the very fbres of
iny blood boil. 1 am speaking in the
cause of Justice, to speak for those
who have been denied their rights I'M
der the Constitution. Before the passage
| Of this law many men were admitted
| u practice in the courts of this State.
For years and years men We're admit
ted to the bar and they afterwards
these very men-became prominent in
| the councils of the ration.
These men went to Congress, they
nave records and they have true Amer
lean manhood and spirit. Why was
this law passed TO take the COnStltu-
tional rights from the people? I ask
you to look at the records of the men
| who have been admitted to the bar
and those who have been turned down.
THE early dream of my childhood
was to be a lawyer l studied law in
the Office of William p. Thompson AT
Belfast with eight or nine young men,
and they have all been admitted. l
studied law in Calais
Chairman Hamilton-"We don't care
about that
Representative Dunn-"I would like
| to have them hear my case
Chairman Hamilton-"Go get
| ROOM
| This last remark of Chairman Ham"
iiton ended the hearing.
| Judge Edward C. Reynolds OF South
Portland appeared before the commit
tee in favor of the amendment IL the
| law of 1907 making the penalty for
person neglecting or refusing to sup
| port his wife and family two years in
stead of six months Imprisonment and