The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-12

SC1tS IS not In some degree a cOntradlc- ton in terms, and whether those suits
 which have been characterized as thorns ir the flesh of corporate interests do not
 constitute a blessing and do not work to the greatest good for the greatest num- ber'
 Agreed that the circuit and city courts of Jefferson, county are gasping for
 breath under the weight of suits asking damages of corporations; agreed that
 some of those suits are brought on the flinisiest pretexts of personal injury-it is yet to be proved that these suits do not serve in their own way useful pur-
 pose.
 A certain inferior judge in Jefferson county has stereotyped form of appeal
 which he makes to each deluded mortal
 who comes to him with the intention of getting into the courts The wise saw, "Once in chancery always in chancery," does not hold a candle to the unanswer- able argument to which this judicial gives
 vent when "cullud lady" applies for a Warrant for the arrest of her absconded mate. Just how he expresses himself is ir1material, but the. substance of his re- | marks applies not a little aptly in this case. He advises the would-be litigant to keep out of the courts; and of all the persons in the world who can lay claim to being of the initiated, only a
 lawyer would venture to dispute the wis., | dom of that judges admonition.
 | There are practitioners at the Brming
 ham bar, who are known as anti-cor- poration lawyers.
 q hardly made a living one of them
 cnce remarked, "until T began fighting the corporations" lHfi sf't [ With numerous lawyers of this pro- fessed leaning in Birmingham, it is not hard to conceive just how easy it is for
 a poor man to brisg suit for alleged
 personal injuries" These anti-corporation lawyers-some have been pleased to inti-
 matc that they should be called "shys- ters'-render it simple matter for the indigent .laborer who is injured, or whose minor son or relative Is injured. to have recourse to the courts of law without tho qualification of money. Furthermore, in nire cases out of ten, his suit Is In some respects successful. If he realizes little or no money from the action, he yet se- cures what he might deem as "satisfac- tion; for where one case of such a na- ture is adjudged in favor of the de- ,fendant corporation, nine are either com promised in the plaintiffs favor. or de- cided in his favor by the verdict of sthe jury of 1o Common people,"
 If this is persecution of the corporate industries which have made the Birming- ham district what it is; if the anti-cor- roration lawyers have agents, representa- tives or what not, whose business 1t is to procure such suits for them it is yet to be proved that they are wholly an evil. "The young practitioner who hangs out his shingle in Birmingham says a well known practitioner, Ifs not long in dis coy ering that damage suits will not walk to his office; that the damage suit prac-
 tice is limited to very few lawyers and law firms"
 True" answers the anti-corporation lawyer, 'but is success the reward of the idle, or the assiduous?"
 In whatever way this question may in volve the ethics of the legal profession, 1t is certain that the laborer who risks, and not seldom loses, his life and limb while in the employ of the big industries it is certain that this "son of toll" be he black or white or yellow, has by means of the damage suit a recourse if he is injured; half chance for his family l if he is killed.
 The great American people depends,
 unconsciously perhaps, on one thing only )Ec conserve it's interests. on one thing .& l,,,v,, 1,,,sr | oppression. It depends on the great
 est influence. next to religion, in the world | today-the press" / But where the power of the press in the l the Birmingham district does not reach, the alleged fake damage suit does ex- | tend. The press cannot do away with the
 danger which the mine worker faces when
 he descends into the Stygian pit and risks 1 his life for s or so per day. Though pub
 lioity and the state mine Inspector can accomplish considerable toward lessening
 the danger, probably nothing can prevent 1 freouent small accidents. The newspa- per cannot help the man who loses his
 arm. but the damage suit can. If the
 corporations are harassed by damage srits-as they have good reason to be when the majority are decided unfavorapiy
 for 'them-the corporations will certainly
 strive to lessen the danger of their em-
 ployes, the liability of their workmer to death or injury. / Corporations have lawyers, to be sure. | And what is more, and what is not so
 generally known, there are corporations
 who. metaphorically speaking. have un- J tolro of tha news
 story kind can be kept lon the quiet"
 but it nevertheless remains a fact that efforts are made to keep them so. Uny dertakers who do corporation work
 make no 'bones about It." They would
 rather that certain accounts of certain l deoths and accidents would not be pub
 lished-why? Because the great American public would take steps to prevent the
 recurrence of such accidents? Hardly,