Evening star., 1909-02-22

Judge Taft paid high tribute 10 thf
profession OF medicine, because II nae
contributed to the preservation OF II"
health OF all the people. He pointed on
that the profession had been exalted 10y
its great discoveries and by its assistance
in the expansion of our government IL
inc tropics and in the construction OF the
Panama Canal
Nter mentioning the great good, in ac
tual results. accomplished by many tech'
meal professions. Mr.. Taft considered II
eNtenso the profession of the law. which
ne said. is in a wide sense the profession
OF government" He said that lawyers oi.
ten were selected TO carry on governmental
work because the executive faculty was
a very marked attribute of the moderr
lawyer While he realized that there
were defects and weaknesses In the Pro
lession of the law, he regarded II as TN.
most important in it's relation TO politica
government. saying:
Now, | am far from being blind tc
the defects and weaknesses Of the pro
fession OF the law. OF which / once hao
the honor 10 he member. Lawyers are
frequently conservative class. They ad-
mere 10 the things that are. simply be-
cause they are. and reluctantly admit the
necessity for change. When III.
business community yields to tcmpta-
have an evil tendency members Of
the profession are always founc
who for professional compensation. car
be induced to promote the success al
such business methods and the combina-
uons to regulate the output and control
OF prices of various classes OF merchan-
disc. and TO sti1e competition by methods
which have had statutory denunciations
and which ii has been the purpose of the
national administration 10 restrain. repress
and stamp out. who could only have been
as powerful and successful they have
been through the manipulation, acute
ness and creative faculty of members Of
the legal profession: but. on the other
hand. when statutory reforms are TO h.
erected, especially In business methods
and by introducing limitations upon the
use OF private property. SO as to stamp
out the evil involved I'm combinations Of
capital, and at the same time not destroy
that enormous benefit inuring TO the
public and insuring commercial progress
of such combinations, the work OF draft
ing the statutes and enforcing them, SO
as to secure higher and better business
methods without impairing the means OF
business progress. must ultimately fall
TO the members Of the legal profession
Most Important of All.
'1t is members Of that profession Of
the Supreme Court who are to deter
mine whether such limitations are with
in the constitutional power of Congress.
1t is the members OF the legal profession
oh the tIIdl courts ana the supreme
courts that are to construe the statutes
and enforce the ultimate penalties for
their violation. 1t must be. not wholly
but chiefly. members of the legal pro-
fession that shall draft the amendments
to the federal and state statutes which
shall give such organization and efti-
cheney to government machinery on the
one hand and such clear defini, ion of the
limitations Of the combinations of capi-
tai on the other that shall uphold legti-
mate business progress on the one hand
and strike down vicious abuses on the
other.
Hence 1t is that today. no less than
at the foundation of our government the
profession Of the law is the most impor-
tant in its relation to politics and po-
litical government.
1t is said that business men have
more executive capacity. and, being at
the head OF large business concerns, have
had more experience in dealing with
large transactions and in directing The
movements of many men. This is doubt
less true in a sense. The real executive
faculty is rare that IL makes Itself
conspicuous In whatever profession or
business 1T may appear. But I must
think that the practice of the law. espe-
cially i'm what 1 have previously de-
scribed as the creative part OF the prac
tice. brings Il lawyer into relation with
other men in such a directing and in
structing way that he is himself a con-
stant cultivafor OF the executive faculty
More than this business men carry on
their business according to their own
rules. Great government departments
have to be carried on under statutes
and legal regulations with many detail
ed sections and provisions. and every de-
partmental head must study and analyze
the statutes and regulations which con-
troll it with care in order not to be
violator Of the law.
Easier for the Lawyer.
This necessity for analysis of the
rules governing the conduct of a depart
ment makes its administration much
easier for a lawyer than for business
man or a member of any other profess
sion.
I'm what l have said have not argued
that the lawyer is necessarily the leader
In public opinion, the exponent of great
reform. or that he is likely to fix the
awakening and an uplift Of business in
tegrity. Such leaders and exponents of
great moral reforms are essential to our
progress: They come from every profess
leaders Of men, The mercantile spirit,
the effect of luxurious living, the greed of
power, the inertia produced by
present comfort, all have a tendency to
blind US to abuses and evils that creep
into our business. governmental and So
cial life. and 1t needs some great, strong.
courageous spirit to point. not in too deli
cate color and with no fear Of hurting
peoples feelings. the truth, and to stir
up the people to demand in tones that
cannot be denied a reform of the abuses
After 1t Is settled by popular decree such
reforms must take place ii is for the
members Of the legal profession. clearly
ADVISED as to the necessities of the case.
having nice and accurate knowledge Of
the operation Of proposed statutes and
clearly perceiving the practical difficulties
ated by special provision. TO furnish the
legal means Of making such reforms per-
manent and effective.
Washington's Special Fitness.
National eXigency seems to call forth.
as If by aid of a special Providence the
men peculiarly fitted to meet the require
ments of the situation. Such were Lin
coln and Grant during the great civil war
Such In the revolution was Washington.
the anniversary of whose birthday this
appropriately makes its COM
day. He was not a lawyer or
1 doctor or a minister He was sur
veyor and farmer. AS student or mill
AIRY science only in the hard school OF
experience his profession may be said to
nave been that Of arms. Not brilliant.
not facile. not eloquent, he had those
qualities which placed him far above the
facile. able and learned men
struggle for American independence. He
vas leader Of men. His pure. disinter-
.Sted patriotism, his freedom from small
ealOCSips. his marvellous common