Potosi journal., 1912-07-03
IS THE MILLENNIUM COMING?

We notice in the announcement of
the meeting of the Iowa State Bar
Association, to he held al Cedar RAD
ids, June 9th and 2Hth. that the com
mlttee of law reform will make two
recommendations One is for the en-
actment OF q law cutting down and
specifying the amount OF time to be
allowed for arguing tases TO the jury
he other is a law to provide for the
verdict agreed upon by nine jurymen
in all civil cases, and certain Grim
| iual cases.
This is the most hopeful thing We
have read for some time. We hope
the association will adopt these re
| forms, not merely for forms sake
ibut that they will adopt them SO
unanimously that they will get be-
| hind the reform element in the next
| general assembly and see that it be-
comes the law of the land The poor
man will then have some hone of
getting justice in the courts.
This, however. does not go far
enough. There should be an entire
revision in court procedure. The
Judge should be given power to com
pei lawyers. when cross-eXamining
witnesses. TO eliminate everything
V hich does not go to the very root
OF the matter The supreme court
should be compelled to disregard all
technical errors in a trial below that
do not affect the merits of the case.
AS it is now. in our larger cities the
poor manishelpless against the rich
man, no matter how good his case
may be. Under our methods OF court
procedure, case can be postponed
delayed, appealed, re-heard RETIRED
all involving great expense, until the
poor man is worn out and impOver-
ished by the expense. so that even
success would mean defeat. It is not
so in other countries: nor is it 30
in every other state in the United
States.
What is the sense in allowing q
lawyer to badger a witness hour alter
hour With toe Obiecl OF enLangling,
confusing and embarrassing him? NO
matter how earnestly he desires 10
tell the truth. he does not have the
opportunity to do it.
What is the sense OF allowing law
yers to harangue hour after hour, IN
til the most Intelligent jury is con-
fused finally gives up and makes u
guess at the facts?
Why spend the money OF the state
on inleImlnable laransues. Intended
not To enlighten, bat 10 confuse the
jury?
We sat in the court room of the
supreme court of Pennsylvania not
long since, and heard two appeal cas- 4
tried fully and completely, and both
OF them within the space of an hour.
We marveled at the clearness with
which these attorneys on either side
of either case could state the precise
FONTS in fewwords and in fifteen min-
uteS.
Again. why insist on unanimous
verdict OF jury of twelve men in
a civil case? Why open the temp
tation to wealthy litigant to bribe
one juror and thus compel retrial?
Why IS uat the Judgment OF nine men
as good Acknowledgement OF twelve
men?
We are glad to See a committee OF
lawyers advocating these reforms. 1t
indicates that the millennium will cone
in the course of time. We can almost
imagine we see its dawn purpling the
distant east. For of all classes Of
citizens, the lrga! profession is most
reactionary, most firmly bound to pre-
cedent The lawyers eyes are gen
orally in the back of his head except
when he islooking for a fee. When
/, h h.,JSs
the millennium is surely Coming; but
no resolutions of lawyers VIII bring in
the millennium unless the pe0plrde
mand the reform through their iegis-
latues
Until these proposed reforms are
ac, nlished. We advise all Of our
friends who have no money to throw
away. to settle their cases out OF
court. even though they suffer a loss
rarhe! than go into a lawsuit, no
matter how just may he the case TO
te cons ide red.
We may all ell pray that the re-
port of the committee of law reform
of the Iowa Far Association may
fe adopted. it is really of more i'm
portance to most people of this
state than the personality of the nom
inee for president of the United States
-Wallace's Farmer.
II is now well known that not more
han one case ofrhenatism inteETe-
1uiresany internal treatment whatever
All, that is needed IS free applca-
ion of Chamberlafn's Liniment and
nassaging the parts at each appll-
cation. Try it and see how quickly
will relieve the pain and soreness.
Sold by all dealers,