New-York tribune., 1910-06-29
W|CKERSHAM ON LAW
Says College Trained Man VIII
Solve Great Problems.
AT HARVARD LAW SCHOOL
Attorney General Urges Clearer
Definition of Sherman Anti
Trust Act.

Cambridge. Mass, June 2s-The Harvard
Law School set the commencement pace to-
day. The alumni had as orator Attorney
General Wickersham, who spoke 10 a iafse
audience in Sanders's Theatre.
That the college trained lawyer will solve
the great legal and economic questions OF
government in this and the next generation
is Mr.. Wickershams opinion.
He will not be the man whose only ac-
quaintance with the principles of law and
government has been derived from text
books and lectures. Such a man would not
be equipped to cope with them He must
be the man who has found the living law
as 1t has been developed in the real trans
actions of men. Except with possible rare
exceptions, the day of the plodding student
who reads his Blackstone in desultory'
unmethodical. interrupted fashion from the
musty shelves Of some practising coun-
sellor is over
The college trained lawyer of this and
the coming generations who Will solve the
problems of government is the man who
has mastered the principles and doctrines
of law as a science through the selection.
classification and analysis of adjudged
cases involving their application.
The Attorney General whose topic was
THE Relation of Legal Education to Gov
ernmental Problems predicted that the
lawyer who obtains those qualifications will
be the man who can successfully cope with
the great questions which will be presented
for solution with the growth and expansion
Of this country He said In part:
| It Is only by the labors, the thought and
hp Of -1-In tho
| living law, as IT has been actually de-
| veloped by the real transactions of men.
| that our government may be governed and
/ guided on safe and progressive lines and
| our Jurisprudence developed along paths OF
natural sound and wholesome growth The
wise solutions of such questions as these
| can only be reached by men who are able
| to deal with facts and principles. as com
pared with information acquired and mem
ory.
Contentment with mediocrity is, in my
| opinion one OF the greatest dangers which
| confrontS successful democracy every
| where The hope of averting II rests
! largely with men of sound legal education
! For this same contentment with medic
| Gritty breeds an impatience with any sort
| of superiority. a desire to behttle all ex-
| cellence, a readiness to tmpute wrons
motives TO anything not easily understood
| to accept calunny truth without inquiry
and a gradual lessening for advancement
as It is perceived that peace, which is oltel
| mistaken for happiness. Is alone TO pt
found by accepting contentedly a place il
the undistinguished multitude
Control of Corporations.
The Attorney General then reviewed in
brief the DEVELOPMENTS of the last few
wears toward the control of public utilities
and compared it to the growth of the ma
| chinery of trade, now come to a control OF
great lines of industry by corporations OF
individuals. He continued:
Never before has it been possible to LAY
so direct toll upon the public through
| the concentration of industrial power Inc
| the growth and power of great combina
| tions through the commerce clause OF th'
/ Constitution was scarcely perceived al tns
| time of the enactment OF the sherman Ia"
| nor until sucesSi"e interpretations OF @t mac
| been given by the Supreme Court The MS
tory of nations indicates that certalI
NECESSARY to interpose by legislation be
tween the rapacity of Individual greed ant
! Justice and fairness to the whole people
! The right of every community to legislat'
respecting property affected by public uS'
was early recognized.
Referring to the desirability Of furthe
| Interpretation OF the Sherman antl-trus
law by the Supreme Court, the Attorney
General said the court has held that Wher
ever the obvious or necessary purpose o
q combination or agreement is TO contrO
| prices, restrict competition or create {
monopoly in commerce among Ine Std(e'
or within foreign countries, it falls within
the condemnation of the statute. He added
Precisely to what extent this construc-
| tion shall apply TO great combinations De
! tween competing corporations through the
device of stockholding or otherwise has yet
| TO be finally deteru1ined by the highest
court During the last twelve months there
has been argued before and submitted tc
| that tribunal for its decision this question
| in its application to two of the largest com
| binations of corporations existing in this
! country The crippled condition of the court
! however, prevented decision. and the
| cases have been remitted for hearing al
| the next term. It is greatly to be desired
that they may be decided at early date
and that the principles OF the decision may
be so clearly laid down as to afford prac-
| ttcahIe standard of conduct which, while
| securely protecting against the inevitable
| evils of great monopoly and deliberate at
| tenpts to arbitrarily fix prices and stfne
! conpetitton, will yet leave Untrammelled
| avenues for the legitimate development OF
| our domestic and foreign commerce
Chief Justice Fuller was elected presi-
dent of the Harvard Law School Associa-
ton and Robert c. Dodge. OF Boston. sec
retary Among the vice-presidents chosen
we're Richard Olney, Evarett P. Wheeler.
Judge George Gray. Justice Oliver Wen
dell Holmes. Charles j. Bonaparte and