The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-08-15

July lSt, lifb. In 1SUI, Kentucky
adopted similar statute and in 1910
Pennsylvania did likewise. The other
cause contributing to this attitude was
he fact that in these pioneer days
! many OF the sO-callcd LAWYERS" wer,
men without schooling. without train
ing and without principle and their
practice was champcrtous and tliaboI-
lcal. Then. the lawyer was not a
man OF recognized profession, he
was b,f Il sharper and Il parasite
But that day IS passed ana passed
NfOrevcr and with il: the mcnacing type
OF lawyer. With the growth and de-
vel0pncnt Of the country. the law be-
came an cxacting science, demanding
skilled and intelligent specialists
Tile profession began taking on new
attributes and today stands hight as
an Indispensable factor in the social.
commercial and national life of the
country.
In recognition Of the services OF the
legal profession in the defense and
maintenance OF the peoples rights:
OF the tifty-six signcrs of the Declara-
tion OF independence, twenty-five
were lawyers: and OF the fifty-fye
members OF the federal constitutional
convention. thirty.One were lawyers.
Sixty-tive per cent Of our present nat
ional congress are lawyers. In the
vanguard OF every political crisis in
the history OF our country, the law
yer has been found championing the
cause OF the people. A large per cent
fof the presidents OF the United States
have been men OF legal training. The
general assemblies OF every state in
the union are comprised largely Of
men from the profession OF the law
Sixty per cent of the governors OF
the states have been lawyers.
And IL this record not beca use the
people In the main believe that men
of this training should be best fitted
for offices involving the making, and
administering OF the law?
In all legislation there must be
reckoned with the constitution OF the
United States. A law that is uncon-
stitutional is worthless and no one
other than lawyer would be able to
detect this and correct u proposed law
SO as to have 1t stand when made
statute. Then there is what is known
as the law Of stare de cisis: that is
the law OF long line of supreme
court decisions. To legislate in such
u manner as to infringe upon this
law Is always a delicate matter where
property rights are involved. And
| none except lawyer could detect
this. Then there Is what Is known as
remedial legislation. That 20 Y.ich leg
islation as will remedy condition.
For instance: some years back the
supreme court decided that the pro-
missory note being used by many with
the ten per cent attorneys fee clause
was non-negotiable. This played
havoc for while till q lawyer. drafted
and put through the general assembly
an act making q note OF this character
negotiable.
Why is the lawyer? He is the out
growth OF evolution-evolution in our
business and social life. The primitive
didn't need him for he had nothing
| save what was on his back and he
held that only so long as his superior
physical strength enabled him to hold
1t. But with the dawn OF civilization
| came the discarding OF the rudiment-
ary methods OF life; the acquiring and
interchanging OF property. CONNER
cial activities. ever progressing, ~ev-
er changing. And hence the law can
not be declared today as was the
Decalogue, table of 80 many inhibi.
So rapidly is the world developing
that there is scarcely day that
doesn't bring with 'it-not necessarily
la new law but new formulation, or
application OF an old law. The law Is
the product of conditions and Is con-
stantly undergoing adaptation to
their changes. In our highly sensitis-
ed and composite life. every dealing
with our fellow man every movement
In business: in society; in our domes-
tic afYairs-every act of our existence
Is governed by some phase OF the law.
Let the people elect the best avail
able men; let them go to the polls in