The Daily Missoulian., 1909-11-07

Barnes of Wash.ng gtoI. recalls the Bit
ter fight made against him in con-
gress a few years ag". Mr. Barnes
was an oiaiHary stenographer in the
pOstoffice department. when appointed
to the executive staff at the White
House by President Mckinley. His
hard work there soon brought him
promotion and the president made hise
his assistant secretary and he was
retained by Roosevelt. This position
brought him uncongenial duties as II
was his place to arrange the appoint
ments Of public men and others with
the president. and to keep from the
presidential office. the undesirables.
One day a lady much afflicted with
hysteria came to the White House and
acting in strange manner, Mr..
Barnes. after using all persuasive
means. ordered the attendants to re-
move her. In doing so the poor wom-
and was rather roughly handled. and
the opponents of Mr. Roosevelt in con-
gress made a sensation of the matter.
carrying the discussion through the
whole session of congress. OF course,
Roosevelt was the target of all the
vindictive language. but Barnes came
in for Il good share Of the unjust
criticism. Shortly after this incident
the postmaster of Washington. re-
signed and President Roosevelt ap-
pointed Barnes as the city postmaster.
This action caused a terrible hue and
cry in congress and the city gener-
ally, Barnes being New Jerseyan,
and because Of his innocent connec-
ton with the Morris incident at the
White House. was the object of lOcat
and congressional attack. the claim
being that the postmastership should
be given to n washingtonian. Quite
a fight against his confirmation was
made. but he was finally confirmed
Barnes was an unassuming and hard
working official and his death, which
was very sudden. caused general re-
gret because Of the uncalled for
criticism he received He was visit
ing his father-in-law near his home
here the other night and had hardly
entered into conversation Mt the table
before he expired from heart trouble.
Only the day before he had bden ad-
mitted to the district bar and week
previous he and his wife. WASH
ington lady. had celebrated their
seventeenth wedding anniversary. An
other strange coincidence is that he
died in the house in which he was
married.
Postmaster Barnes was a familiar
figure in Washington. Tall and lanky
and with quick step he was well
known about town. He was II years
old and earned his spurs by hard
work. In his early life he was in mer-
camille business in Chicago and New
Jersey. and in 1887 he entered the
postoffice department here as steno-
grapher through the civil service ex-
animation. and was assigned to the
dictation of then first assistant post
master General Clarkson. When
General Clarkson retired and entered
business in New York Barnes went
with him In 1891 and was with Gen.
eral ClarksOn in campaign work at
that period. In 1892 he came back TO
the pcstoffice department. as private
secretary to the assistant postmaster
general. and in 1898 President Nc
Kinley appointed him a clerkNin the
White House. promoting him to execu-
tive clerk in 1900, and President
Roosevelt retained him. As executive
clerk he delivered in person the Pre-
sidentiai messages to the two houses
OF congress.
Quite racket Ia going OH In legal
circles here over ''sneezing powders"
The fad of carrying vial of the
powder and secretly scattering 1t
about In public places to the discom-
future of the public has reached such
a stage that the corporation counsel
of the district has declared its use IL
legal. The police have been instructed
to put ban on their sale. but num-
ber of merchants have signified their
intention of fighting the ruling. and
a merry little war is promised.
Lawyers have come In for a scorch-
ing by Dean Vance of the George
Washington University Law school
and those studying for the profession
and those practicing it are displeased
with his assertions. The dean says
that lawyers are turned out too quick
ly by the Washington schools and
that generally. the American lawyer
has proved failure because Of his
selfish indifference to the. public In
terest and his lack of knowledge of
the law as science as distinguished
from craft. Here are some Of the
deans hot shots:
Congress should enact legislation
to raise the standards for law schools
and admission to the bar. There aro
more law students in Washington
than in those OF any OF the states. ex-
cepting New York and Illinois. Be-
cause of the system Of night courses
many graduates are untitled to prac-
tice. In the administration OF the
law America lags two generations be-
hind the rest Of the world. No con-
structive reforms have been attempted
in 50 yeafs. Our inefficient procedure
in civil actions is a reproach to the
nation and disgrace to the bar. while
our procedure in criminal cases. with
its enormous expense. its incredible
delays and its frequent and gross mis-.
carriages. is a stencil in the nostrils
Of nations. The great majority OF our
lawyers are merely craftsmen. with
out real knowledge OF the science Of
the law.