Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-31
BLAMES LAWYER
FOR ATTITUDE IN
CONTEMPT 0FLAW
Attorney Levi Mayer of Chicago
Chief Speaker at Annual
Bar Banquet.
OFFERS SEVERAL REMEDIES
Says People are Justified in Their De-
nrsnd for Reform Of Machinery
Of Justice.

That lawyers are more than any
other class or profession responsible
for the prevailing popular contempt fol-
law and its machinery and that theJ
are the ones through which the remedy
should come was the statement made
last night by Levi Mayer, one Of the
leaders OF the Chicago bar. az the an
nuaI banquet OF the Rock Island Coun'
Isl Bar association To remedy condi
tipns he urged the following general
rtforms:
Il All practice statutes should be
repealed. and the supreme court
invested with power 20 enact sim
pie. uniform rules or practice. sub
ject TO revision. thus providing
elasticity and rules abreast the
times.
The presiding Judge should have
increased power in jury trials,
commensurate with that OF the
presiding judge in federal courts.
The requirement OF unanimity Of
Jurors in reaching a verdict should
be abolished 10 do away with
hung juries and suspicion Of cor
ruptiol. Substitute two-thirds ma
jority in civil and three-fourths in
criminal cases Provide a thir-
teenth juror always ready 10 re-
place one who may fall sick
Change OF venue should be al
lowed ou-y on submission OF facts
influencing fear or unfairness,"
thus averting most OF the delay
and Interior motive.
Prosecutor should be allowed to
comment on refusal OF defendant
TO testify.
Official court experts should be
provided. eliminating ~legalized
purchased. perjured testimony.
where extent OF the perjury de-
ponds on elasticity OF the witness
conscience and the size OF the pur-
-chasers pocketbOOk."
II a defendant Is found insane
his punishment should not be a
mere matter OF temporary shift
and law evasion
Quotes Observations of Others.
Mr.. Mayer spoke from strong per
sonal Cul-:ctiun. The topic assigned
him was Lawyers Responsibility for
n. Prevailing Contempt for Law" To
1r we thai such contempt existed and
IS general y recognized he quoted the
Observations OF many eminent men on
The subject. going back 70 the days OF
Abraham Lircoln and coming down to
Tho present. Among those whose words
be repeated were Lincoln. TAFT. RoOso-
-elt and Wilson. Not ell the asser-
IONS made. the speaker held. were
rue. but they were sufficiently accu-
ate 20 sustain the charge made and
houli be taken as s!gnposts on the
Dad 10 truth.
Time vas. and not so long ago.
Wien the lawyer was generally looked
~ TO and recognized as the leader in
thought and action for the betterment
u society. but il IS not true now. The
Profession has been for some time rest
ng upon its laureIs and Il has gone
backward I'm the popular estimation.
in recent years money has beeL
.laced above the conscientious dis
barge OF duty In too many instances.
To prove that Americans do not
tand in sufficient awe OF the law Mr.
Mayer gave some comparative sta
iGtics which strikingly illustrated
he point. HOmicides in cities in the
49, = seAtF-" "FA v 'A+pNf ~ ~ nc Jul VI d
~ prcD5Tt!Cn 20 the number in Euro 4
.ean cities 4 well known authority I
nee estimated that there were 100. 1000 I
.ersoEs I'm the United States who had /
ai-en part IN lynchings and 10000 4
rho rad beeI implicated in disorders ]
shich had resulted in loss Of life and .
I'D gone unpublished In Canada, 4
Which has been settled much as this
ountry and is populated by practic- 4
lly the sane stock justice Is swift and 4
ure. while he-c Il is slow and uncer- I
ain.
Mentions London Incident.
Harry G. Selfridge, the former Chi I
ago merchant who is now in business
j London. was quoted TO show the .
ifference between respect for law in