The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-05-07
A LAWYER ON LAWYERS
Hon. Charles Il. Darling Addresses
Chitfenden County Bar

Chitfenden County Bar
Chittenden county bar, with Judge
William H. Taylor and Assistant Jud-
yes william ~. Barber and Eugene w
Quinn, dined last night at Dorn's res
taurant, the dinner being fully up to
the splendid standard established by
the proprietor of this well known
place
Following the exercises there was
literary program. Hon Charles II.
Darling the associations president,
made the principal address, giving in
entertaining manner a lot of hiterto
unknown but nevertheless interesting
information about the bar of Yer
mont There were also remarks by
Judge Taylor, Col Z. Henry Powell,
Judge NJ. A. Bingham and Z. w.
Brownell A committee consisting of
Judge Il. c. Mower. NJ. G. Leary and
r. L. Brown was appointed to go
over the recently adopted court rules
and report to the association soon.
Some of the interesting facts CLEAN
ed from Mr.. Darling's address follows
There are 452 lawyers in Vermont.
There are 400 members actively en-
gagged in practicing law, including judi
ges of courts.
Assuming there are 400 lawyers en-
gagged in active practice, and that the
states population is 343.641 and the
states wealth S172.341,945, one prac-
ticing lawyer of our state represents
every S5s individuals, and every $780,
S54.S6 worth of capital.
The population for Chittenden coun-
ty is $4,000 The county's wealth is
s22,S17,S27. There are So lawyers.
One TO each 707 population and one
to $407 .46119 of capital.
Mr.. Darling gave very interesting
information about lawyers remunera-
ton, the high price of living and the
necessarily smaller amounts in liti-
CATION in a state Of Vermonts size
and location, as compared with the
great commercial states.
Speaking OF Chittenden county he
said:
in my Judgment one Of the great
est sources of weakness of the bar OF
this county is the fact that II is Who'll
| " disorganized, and by disorganiza'
ton I mean we are getting no benefit
! from the bar as an institution. dc
not advocate an organization in the
| sense OF being governed by prescrib
| ed rules that acts through officers and
! representative governed by consu
! tuition and bylaws. But in every
I strong bar there is a kind of unwrit
| ten, code There is a sort of point
/ of union that comes from labor in {
| common cause. that comes from {
community of interest and a cOmmun
| ity OF thought To Illustrate what
mean. when there is a vacancy in th'
Office of states attorney, a consider
| able percentage OF the bar become
| candidates Ii there should be a va
| csncy in the Office of probate iudg'
it would be the same or in any othe
office that is a natural and Legitimate
perquisite of the bar The question
is not generally asked Am | tn
choice of the barr or Am ] qualfie'
for the position? But a general al
peal is made TO the public on a Ques
ton of the division of the spoils O
the bar Itself. On the other hand tn
candidate should be governed by tn
unwritteu rules of the profession, tn
principle of the fitness of things
There comes naturally and silently
sort of professional endorsement o
a call by the profession to one of 1t
members to take such a position an
the public is asked to endorse tn
candidate of the bar How niue
more dignified, how much stronger /
the position of the bar under sue
rules. And every candidate If he |
found worthy will sooner or later II
ceive his call
Speaking of the number OF lawyer
who hold governmental position.
there by illustrating the people
faith in them, Mr. Darling said tina
the president, vice president, all tn
members OF the cabinet save two ar
lawyers. or the 81 senators &C ar
lawyers and of the 800 representative
in Congress, 236 are members of tn
legal profession.
Mr. Darling said that combination
of the business world are being pei
fected at the same time the bar i
becoming disorganized. in Vernon
there is lack of great business lay
firms. Business is such now that
law firm should have one good tria
lawyer. one lawyer competent to pre-
pare cases and handle details; on
first class all round lawyer; one bus
ness lawyer and one good collection
man lawyer.
Mr.. Darling dwelt most interesting
ly on the good results of such firm
and he closed his address by sum
ming up in forceful manner the re
quisites of a good and successful law
lYer=Burlington News Anril 90