Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-01-12

accident is not the result of the wilful
negligence OF the Workman himself.
In other words, it attempts 10 put the
cost of industrial accidents upon the
business itself, on the'Stheory that
the burden will ultimately be borne
by the consumer. Instead of OCCASION
ally putting Oh the employer the cost
of some particular accident. it is an
attempt to impose upon all employers
the cost of all accidents. Instead of
some injured workman receiving dam
ages. it is proposed that all workmen
shah have compensation for every ac-
cident.
While the inadequacy, economic
waste and the gross injustice of our
present system must be admitted, the
difficulties in the way Of esta blisliing
the proposed system under our con-
stitutions are very great. That system
is foreign and comparatively recent
invention. Its principle is comparative
ly unknown in this country. An un-
derStanding of the foreign laws ad
their workings is not Yet well known
here even by the most ardent advo-
Gates Of the new principle. The text
of the principle European laws was not
available in our own tongue until
about year ago. when they were pub
lishcd by the department of commerce
and labor. 1t was first tried IN any
country y wears ago. The first real ex-
pertinent in this country ttEc New
York law went into operation less
than Az months ago. Sept. /. 1910. I'M
partial reports of its working are not
encouraging.
The statistics now available show lit
Tie decrease in litigation
AS members OF a profession whose
duty it is TO serve the public interest,
we are facing grave responsibilities
Reconstructive work for the general
welfare is demanded
There has never been a time in our
histery when the disinterested aid of
the lawyer upon public questions was
more needed than it is today The times
call Tor an independent and fearless
bar. A lawyer who because OF political
disfavor or the ratings of the dema-
gogues would hesitate to act for cor
porations in the protection of their
Just rights and the maintainance of
their Just claims is neither fearless nor
independent. ON the other hand
lawyer who for q corporate retainer
would sell his right to think and act
independently on public questions. who
would barter his political convictions
or surrender his political independence,
ought to be stricken from the rolls of
the profession.
The work of establishing this govern
mcnt or foundations so secure that it
has weathered the storms of more than
century, the labor of skilful guidance
from small beginnings until it has be
come the greatest and most powerful
nation on earth rests in large degree
upon the faithful and devoted service
of great lawyers. whose names have
become historic. Upon the profession
today rests the duty of helping to pre-
serve the structure which they builded
The following were elected members
of the association. c. NJ. Walker. r.
/. Thompson. Edward B. Burpee. Alan
L. Bird, Oscar II. Tripp, Roekland; AL
ton c. Wheeler, South Paris; Harold |.
Goss. Bingham; Eva E. Bean, Old Or
chard; Edward w Wheeler, Bruins
wick; Raymond Fellows, Bangor.
The following officers We're chosen
for the ensuing year;
President-O. r. Fellows, Bucksport.
Vice Presidents-George G. Wing,
Auburn; Frederick II. Appleton. Ban
gor: c. f. Johnson. Watervlle.
Secretary and reaSurer-Norman L.
Bassett, Augusta.
Executive Committee-W. H. Newell,
Lewiston; Charles S. Cook, Portland;
Hugh r. Chaplin. Bangor; John w.
Manson, Pittsfieid; Joseph f. Moore,
Thomaston.
Committee on MemhSrship-Reuel w.
Smith, Auburn; Beecher Putnam,
Houlton; Morrill, n. Drew, Portland:
Cyrus " Blanchard, Wilton; r. F.
Tracy, Winter Harbor; j. II. Mont
gomery, Camden: Joseph Williamson,
Augusta; Emerson Hilton, Wiscasset;
A. f. Herrick. Bethel; NJ Laughlin.
Bangor; Frank f. Guernsey, Dover: W.
T. Hall, Jr., Bath; c. o. Small. Madi-
son; r. f. Dunton. Belfast; George A.
Goodwin. Springvale; Frederick Bogue
of East ,Machas.
Committee on law reform-Charles
F. Libby, Portland John A. Morrill,,
Auburn; f. C. Ryder, Bangor; Leroy
r. Carleton, Winthrop; +. y. Merrill,
Skowhegan.
Committee on legal history. L.
Reade, lewiston; Ira G.. Hersey. Houl-
ton Robert r. Whitehouse, Portland;
\. p. Noble, Phillips Sumner p. Mills
of Stonington; Norman l.. Bassett, Au-
gusta; Arthur s. Littlefield, Rockland;
Everett harrington, Waldoboro; Ralph
T. Parker. Rumford Falls: Charles
Hamlen, Bangor; Henry Hudson, Gull
ford; Joseph w. Trott of Bath; Forrest
Goodwin, Sk0whegan; Ellery Bowden.
Winterport; l.. II. Newcombe, East
port; Fred j. Allen, Sanford.
Committee on legal educaton-Tas
Gus Atwood, Auburn; r. w. Shaw,
Houlton: Benjamin Thompson. Port
land: y. =. Noble, Phillips II. +. Ham
lin, Ellsworth; Frank q. Harrington,
Augusta; Reuel Robinson, Camden.
Emerson Hilton. Damariscotta A. s.
Kimball, Norway; Bertram l.. Smith,
Patten; w e. Parsons, Foxcroft;
Charles d. Newell, Richmond; George
G.. Weeks, Fairfield; VIM. p. Thompson,
Belfast; George A. Curran, Calais;
lWillis T. Emmons, Saco.
The committee on law reform, con-
sisting of Charles +. Libby, John A.