The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-26
VOICE FROM NEW ENGLAND;
 DIMICK ON FAKE SUITS
BY ETHEL ARMIES Autbor of "Tbe Story of n AIabamav

Light and Power is having. Don't blame em for putting gates on their cars. But even the gates don't save them.
 Jury To Blame
 "The average jury here will not try a case on it's merits I heard the other day that in a certaon fake damage case the jury gave verdict to compromise at, say, $500, on case that shouldn't have had dollar, for the reason that a promi- nent business man on the jury advised that they compromise rather than stay out all night and such little matter as 800 would not be felt by the big com pany concerned. If business men will do that sort of thing what's to come out of it?
 ''Then there are the professional jurors to fight just the same as the ambulance chasing lawyers and doctors. But the worst feature of the whole business is the compromise system. While that saves time, expense and trouble to a company in the one case, it simply nourishes the condition in general all the more. And it is money out in the long run.
 Fight To a Finish Seems to me if every company fought each groundless suit to a finish in the start, they all wouldn't be plagued as they are by the countless number they are up against Why, it's this compro- mise system that does as much to keep the fake damage suit going, when you stop to analyze the matter, as the scav- enger lawyer.
 Understand, not for a minute do be- lieve in a company not meeting squarely what is up to it, and taking care of it's employees. but simply the industrial com panies here have not the time, the money or the patience to fool with rot ten business any longer. It's time to end it."
 Among the cases entered at the court house on Tuesday morning was one in which a negro laborer sued for $10,OOO against the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company because he alleged that a conductor said to him, Look up here, you d. black nigger, and give me your check"
 Balm For Hurt Feelings The lawyer claims that his client suf- fered great mental distress, humiliation and modification thereby, to amount of said sum.
 MT. J. c. Lusk, vice president of the Jemison Real Estate and Insurance com pany, mentions an episode he heard by | the way.
 At the banquet given for members of the bar at the Country club, not long since, it seems that this subject of fool damage suits was approached valiantly from the right plank-from ambuscade as 1t were, for it was a tolly unexpected as- | sault.
 breach of etiquette.
 | PhiIippics Hurled At Table l A young lawyer, an invited guest of the evening, stood up in the midst of the toasts and the good will going round, and he stated that 1t was out of the question | for a lawyer just starting his practice | to earn his salt in Birmingham unless | he resorted to all manner of shyster tricks, and ways and means of snake feeding that would disbar a lawyer in | another town.
 | Why such a condition? he asked And the young fighters words were loud as cannon balls" He did not mince mat | ters. He called a spade a spade It | was, as just stated, a shocking breach of etiquette. No dinkey little gentleman would ever have dared do such a thing. A man. however, would. Yes, dare all things and all men for the sake of a patriot cause.