The San Francisco call., 1909-04-13
Mining LAW IS
BIG FEATURE OF
LOCAL PRACTICE
Celebrated Cases Have Demon
strated Ability of Local
Barristers
Legal Professions Leaders
Prominent in Varied Civic
Activities

RELIANCE, erudition and con-
spicuous success have character
lied the members OF the bench
and bar OF san Francisco from the
earliest times. During its half cen
tury OF existence the city OF san Fran
cisco has passed through litigation
that has attracted the attention OF the
whole country. Famous mining suits.
bitterly fought VIII contests. railroad
controversies and criminal cases OF ab-
sorbing interest have been tried in
this city. IN al these cases. the at
tQrneys who have been trained in
their profession right at home and who
have fought their way TO the top have
been ranged on both sides. Their
handling of difficult cases has won
them The admiration and applause OF
all Wslo have studied their work; their
success has been bounteously re-
warded
There are fruitful and seemingly
never ending sources OF litigation in
this state IN mining disputes. land
settlements and other matters which
need adjudication in a country so COM
-paratively new as California IS Nat
uraliy. lawyers are required who are
familiar with mining law and land
law 20 cite no other branches OF legal
: knowledge. They must know more
t1sn the law or these two big sub
sects- They must understand the bust
ness- 81 mining in all its mechanical
eomplexity and they must know the
geosraphy and the early history OF
the state.
The lawyers ot san Francisco have
applied themrelves assiduously TO these
studies and their complete mastery OF
al their difficulties is proved by the
able manner in which they present
cases wherein the greatest refnements
Of technical knowledge must be put
before judge and jury in the simplest
manner possible.
san Franeisco's lawyers have made
more than a purely local fame. They
have argued cases with gratifying
success IN New York and other eastern
states, before the supreme court Of the
United States and before the legal tri-
bunais Of the Old World Their abili-
ties have been recognized by signal
promotions. Attorneys Of San Fran
cisco have been called to the greatest
legal tribunal in the world. the United
States supreme court. TO the inter-
state commerce commission. 70 the fed
eral bench and to the legaLdepartment
OF the secretary OF state and other
cabinet departments Wherever they
have gone. they have succeeded with
that brilliancy OF achievement OF
which they gave copious promise
while they stiH practiced law in San
Francisco.
To be a good lawyer is to achieve
q great deal j means years OF prep
aration by Unremitting diligence,
slavelike application and stubborn
burning OF the midnight OIL It means
that the student must steep his mind
in all the lore Of the world, that he
must interest himself ia all the activ-
tiles OF all men and must study men
themselves. To be a great lawyer is
given only to q few. That requires
genius and a legal bent of mind which
CLASHES All men and AL their doings
studied pro and con. argued. defended.
prosecuted To the great lawyer all
the world is a law court; every human
event is cause of action; and he him
self is Judge, jury. plaintiff, defendant
and. counsel for both sides. This habit
OF mind prepares the great lawyer for
every. conceivable emergency of human
eccentricity; so that he is never taken
by surprise. is always IN calm posses
sion Of his faculties and never falters
or hesitates in his determination OF a
puzziing point
Caiifornia-and in particular San
Francisco-hss its quota Of good law
yers; il also has its great lawyers. It
IS proud Of both classes. 1t is willing
10 offer them in comparison with the
good lawyers and the great lawyers
or any other state. any other city. Il
realizes perfectly that it win not suffer
by the comparison.
san Francisco has a romantic his
tory. it's annals contain more OF ex-
citernent. daring adventures and tan
gled intrigue than a swashbuckling
novel. The lawyers OF the past fig-
tired prominently in al the romantic
episodes of the cifys early years.
The lawyers OF the present are
prominent in the. city's doings after
another fashion, the more sober and
more prosaic fashion of the twentieth
century. They are TO the fore in poll
tics. in philanthropy. IN every project
looking 70 the betterment OF the city
and its inha abitants. In the trying
d. after the disaster Of three years
ago when the city needed the unself-
( ish. the sacrificing service of every
strong and able man within its con-
fines. the lawyers came forward, will
ing to serve and able, through their
training and their experience. to yield
splendid service Their work in that