Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1916-05-31
fewer AND BET7ERf]
LAWYERS NEEDED
SUGGESTION MADE TO LIMIT
THEM TO ONE PER 5000
, ~. POPULATION.

" NO. Ss5.kEssl
Fort Worth. Texas.-Limiting the
OF lawyers to mi for every
i've thousand population. eliminating
HON entirely from N branah Of the
paying them . salary and
them under bond, are among
the Suggestions offered by Geo. W..
. prominent business man
Of this city, in . communication to-
The Texas Economic League. which
10 carrying on an extended discussion
Of The Administration Of justice. His
communication says among othsr'
ss%e~ -Ttr+s~s"
'Ths lawyer u alone responsible,
for the laws delay; for the nonen1
Of the criminal laws; and
for the teahnicalitiss BY which thej
ends Of Justice are more oftsn dol
fsatsd than promoted; and for the
fst statute book. growing fstter year
By ysaf. until ever lavyerD them;
solves DO not know the law. The
tarin. the trust, the TAI. and the vari@
ous other problems that confront us'
are I'll lawyormads, lawyerIntsrpret.
ID. and lawysrsnfosesd. On the 9TH
q hand. the lawyer, the governing
class Of society. 10 n0t entitled to full
credit for our Republican institutions
for hs has responded g~rudginsly 70
The demands Of the people for liberty
He y day By day and year by year
Increasing his power and restricting
The liberty Of the citissn.
1T vss formerly Democratic
axiom that the best governed people
an those who are least governed.
The reverse now 10 true. P~aternalism
10 the tendency and the goal, with
the lawyer ~ the administrator. One
step constitutes . precedent for an
other, and step by step he IL. con-
stantly and selentlessly encroachtns
upon civil liberty. and IL making him.
self the master.
II do not mean TO say that the
lawyer 10 designedly usurping power.
Perhaps most Of u needless laws
and endless regulations arr, inaugur.
atsd BY ambitious lawyers for adver.
Using md voee-catching purposes;
but ! do assert that whatever may DO
che motive. there 10 . constant and
evsrincrsasing invasion Of the rights
Of the citisen. and that the Tespons:
ibls cause 10 the o~ifice-sesking law.
yer.poliucian. who 10 also the bsne'
nciary both IN power and profit. Hs
not only now fiis the various public
offices-lsgislative. judicial and exec.
utivcbut he ID necessary to the
guidance Of every business institution
Of consequence. aAd even under his
direction, they do not always escaps
the tolls Of the law.
Fully three-fourths of our Presi.
dents and public service commission
srs have been lawyers. and all OF Gus
judges. We are truly q government
Of the lawyers. and by the lawyers,
and very largely for the lawyers. The
situation is becoming intolerable. and
It demands heroic treatment. Moth
ing shoyt Of radicalism will avail. Nc
substantial reform can be expected
from the lawyer. He prides himseli
on his conservatism. but, as q matter
Of fact, he Is q slave to precedent
II is rars that any class or organiza
ton reforms itself. The lawyer II
strong on regulating and reforming
other lines Of business. but hi
own. We have plead In vain for {
simpler. more speedy. and more In
expensive administration OF law; tn,
non-euforcement Of the criminal laws
which are especially designed To-
the protection OF criminals. is . dis
grace to our civilization. but there 4
no prospect Of relief from the law
yer. Necessity drives many OF then
into politics and into disreputabl
practices and cunning and gree
tempt others. The cause IL, too man,
lawysrs. and the remedy 10 obviousl
TO reduce the number. Apparently
Il Is quite simple. but Il will DO n
easy Job. because they are in contrc
Of the machinery Of government,
They win find all sorts Of Consut,
tionai objections to any Limitation Q
their prerogatives and perquisite,
The law Of supply and demand ha
no application to the lawyer. becaus
Of the false glamour surrounding tn
profession.
There should not be more tina
one lawyer to each 5000 population
and this should be enforced by
licensing board composed entirely {
aymon. This number 10 ample -,
settle all disputes In . righteou
way. and II will not leave a surpr
l 20 STIR mp strife and to all all u
, offices. II VIII cause many OF O,
y bright young men. who are attracts
o ne law because II 10 the reco
missed highway to political prefs
nsnt to choose farming. mechanic
or some other useful occupation.
= would suggest. too. that at least OF
g branch Of the Legislature should
entirely free Of lawyers. There shou
be State attorney. paid BY Il
State. 10 defend al well a. prosecu
criminals. and no lawyer should
allowed TO take . fee. either to pre-
ecute or defend. doubt tho wisdo
Of the fec system In It's entirety. c,
tainly the contingent fec 10 indefer