The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-11
LAW REFORM WAVE
REACHES VIRGINIA
1t Is Keynote of State
Bar Associations
Meeting.
CALL IS SOUNDED
FOR GREAT WORK
Resolutions in Behalf of Three
Great Remedial Measures
Adopted, and Task of Future
Will Be to Simplify Pro-
cedure. Making Litiga-
ton Less Cumbersome.

Especial from a staff Correspondent
Hot Springs. Va. August l0.-Over
tho nation the wave OF law reform ,s
irresistibly spreading. and 1t has
reached Virginia. Revision of the law
30 as to make It's procedure simpler.
Its workings more just and less dig
criminatory. the cost of litigation re-
duced from excess TO reasonabIenees-
this is 10 he in the future the SUI
preIne policy OF the Virginia State Bar
Association.
Law reform was the keynote of The
twenty-third annual session of that
BODY which closed this morning That
II Will be the chief business of the as
ISOLATION hereafter was evident from
tho many things that were said in de-
hate John b. Minor, Of Richmond.
sounded the call for this work in his
work as secretary. when he said that
the association should discuss and rec.
commend more legal remedial meas
ures and thetif such recommendations
were made after careful elaboration.
the General Assembly would adopt
them and not disregard them in some
instances as has been the case In
the past.
Reformn Recommended.
Three far-resching reforms were
mt this meeting. These were the re-
duction Of the fee compensation Of the
clerks OF the Suprcmc Court Of Ap-
neals 10 a salary basis: the use ~
typewritten. instead OF printed court
records In appeal cases. where the
cost of printing would be too great:
and the creation Of official experts to
testify In criminal insanity and other
cases
All three OF these reforms. II adopt
cd by the General Assembly. VIII tre-
mendousIy lower the cost OF litigation.
make for the securing OF res! Justice,
cause the poor llugant to receive
square deal from the law. and mini
nile popular dissatisfaction with the
laws. methods and results
s. s. p. Patteson and Hill Monta-
cue OF Richmond. and Judge A A.
Phlesar. OF Bristol. were to-day APP
nointed committee 10 urge upon tho
General Assembly the adoption of the
associations recommendations con-
corning the compensation of the clerks
OF the Supreme Court OF Appeals and
the use of typewriter records
II the General Assembly shall write
these requests into law. the opening
wedge OF the general attack or the
whole fee system will have been made
and the beginning OF the greatest law
reform in Virginia since the adoption
of the new Constitution, the emascu-
lation OF the fee system. Will have
been accomplished.
While not as much constructive
work was done as there might have
been. the general sentiment is that
the next session Will mark an epoch
in the history OF the association
Roosevelt Page. OF Hanover. chairman
OF the House Committee on Courts Of
Justice; S. S. P. Patteson. OF Rich
mond: Judge r. T. w. Duke, Of Char
lottesville: Professor Raleigh c. Minor,
OF the University OF Virginia; Wal
ter HI. Taylor. of Norfolk; Hill Mon
tague. OF Richmond. and others took
no uncertain stand in advocating
sweeping reforms in the law, both
in substantive law and in court pro-
cedure and practice
Attempt Utopiau.
While the association rejected the
proposition to participate in an effort
to make the pleading and practice OF
all the States of the Union uniform.
the reason for this rejection was a
belief that such an attempt is Utopian.
On account OF the absence of most
Of the members OF the committee on
Legislature and law reform, the re-
port drafted by Lewis H. Machen. of
Alexandria, was not presented, though
1t may later be printed in an abridged
form. Besides Mr.. Machen there are
on this committee John Garland poi
lard. S. S. p. Patteson, Hill Montague.
all OF Richmond, and S. B. Whitehead
of Lovingston. When this report is
acted on at the next meeting 1t prob
ably VIII result in the recommends
ton of q hundred or more changes for
the better in the statutes of the Com
monwealth.
The chief address of this years
meeting was delivered this morning
by Helm Bruce. OF Louisville, on "a
Permanent International Court" AS a
prelude to his address he paid ELOQUENT
tribute to the Old Dominion, saying
that "as the fragrance of the flower
suggests a loved one, so the name ~
Virginia suggests to me noble re-
spect for the rights of mans high
ideals. culture, love of State and coun-
try chivalry to all, especially to wo-
men"
Mr.. Bruce's father, Judge Henry
Bruce, was a member of the Confed-
crate Congress, and as a child-i arms
his son was in Richmond in war
times.
The host OF women present at the
morning session were captivated by,
Mr.. Bruce's statement that in Lex
ington in a home hedged with box
wood and in an old Fashioned par
Tor. where pictures of Lee and Jack
con hung on the walls. In household
wherein was gentleness and the sweet
fragrance of refinement, he had found
The companion OF his labors and the
inspiration of his life.
A permanent international court 10
settle finally controversies between
nations. Mr.. Bruce thinks. is sure
10 come. Nations for two thou
sand years have had no satisfactory
way of settling their differences. The
ICant inued an Scunnth Do 90 \