The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-14
Legislative Lawyers.
{ Rutland iIcrald.)

The BrattltborO Reformer touches
mighty live issue when it SAYS:
1.-THE old-time lyceum was not con
fined to schools aud colleges, but was
a public forum in nearly every country
community, whore Young men had an
opportunity TO combat in Wit, intelli
gence. reasoning power and oratorieal
ability The lyceum developed quick,
terse expression in speaking to an au-
dience. 1t gave the young man the
self-contideuce in addressing others
which is 50 necessary for success in
public life. Ii the lyceums were re
vived our legislative halls and the
walks Of Fife which demand direct al
dress to the people would not be 50
decidedly dominated by the lawyers
as today.
Notwithstanding the fact that some
of tine most important members OF
Legislative bodies are not public speak
crs, no state like Vermont is likely to
Ice indifferent to the speeches OF a
skilled advocate and debator. II IS
true that most of the speeches in a
| Vermont legislature, for example, are
very largely informal and impromptu,
| hut their very intormaiity makes the
efforts Of the trained speaker all the
more effective.
4 LAWYER, Tor example, accustomed
/ to address both courts and iuries, must
| if he has any aptitude whatever for
/ court work. have a keen sense of the
! psychological moment and the telling
! argument with a given collection OF
| EermonterS. Then, with at least two
thirds Of a Vermont legislature men
Of no special training for public life
men more accustomed 70 weighing milk
than weighing arguments, the adept
speech OF a professional attorney turns
the tide in many more eases than the
man of public mind likes to count.
We may presume that these lawyer:
in the legislature are honest men, but
they are first of all lawyers. Anything
that touches court, Law, the Judiciary
the legal profession or their conception
Of public ethics becomes with them
not q public question, but legal ques
ton.
II il not whether a given measur,
will benefit or iniure the public bu
whether it will benefit or iniure thu
d practice ef law.
Any observer of Vermont legislature
for any length of time must realiz,
that the two conceptions are by II,
b means synonymous. IN fact, they ar
D often in direct opposition to each other
The makeup Of the Judiciary com
mittees in both houses gives the law
vers a tremendous opportunity to con
e troll and influence legislation. 1t breed
{ arrogance and contempt of public senti
, ment. 1t leads TO such situation a
existed in Montpelier during the re
l. cent session, when delegation of law
e vers waited on the Governor and ha
the iEsolencc to serve notice on hiT
that unless he receded from his posi-
tion on certain pending Legislation
! they, the lawyers, would see that hi
program was defeated.
II Then. in pursuit of that end, the sam
5 lawyers actually enlisted members o
% the Supreme Court in their plans, tn
,, result being the famous star-ehambe
j session Of the Senate, from which til
= people who elected those senator's wer
k excluded, and il which justice of til
5 Supreme Court expressed to the Senat
, the opinions of those lawyers and 81
cured such action as those lawyer
/ desired
l. There were several notable exception
i TO the rule, and the services of certai
y LAWYERS in both houses were of IL
{ greatest value TO the attempted reforI
y, of the courts, defeated in the end +
Il the determined opposition Of the stat
o bar association, aided and abctted b
e the judiciary.
p. In the face Of such situation, ii
suggestion of the Reformer that "
produce and cultivate lyceum speake
is important, but it does not 90 /;
% enough.
L IN the way OF developing traine
lf speakers, why not begin discussing,
Oranges, farmers meetings and 9th,
7 places Of informal debate. the eve
IL pressing question: . Resolved that Il
1t legislative lawyer is public menace?
ar No doubt plenty of good lawyer
who talk equally web on either sic
j of any question, could be found to SUI
IS port the Affirmative.