The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-04-15

so deeply impressed, no longer exists.
The views Of the distinguished jurlst, hon. George o. nS.'
~ Thus stated in an address, entitled: "The Industrial Ir'sIS
and the Bar"
Lawyers still hold most of the Offices, because the plae'Se
Of their profession gives them q facility IN public speaking anu
a consequent advantage on the hustngs, and brings them 'neo
contact with the voters, but the pohSHai Snu s0''"- f'"
Bar has certainly declined.
To what is this to be attributed!
u,nv causes have united to produce this result; but one OF
the most notable is the growth Of corporate power:
As the wealth and business Of the community have aceama-
lated in the hands Of corporations the lawyer who woulo INV
has been compelled to turn to them Tor clients
The trouble is, that when the lawyer serves a corporation
he. too often loses his individuality and is swallowed up IN me
immense body corporate. He can nave snnsi ofpo4~ "m a..
his clients without that result, but corporations are every us
consolidating and becoming larger, SO that instead OF one lawyer
having many corporations among his clients, one corporation 'e'
ouently demands the exclusive service Of many lawyers
But it is apparent that the lawyer who is only known as the
general or subordinate solicitor Of some great corporation must
hse bs influence with the people. No matter how Independent
he NAV remain; no matter how public spirited he may be, te
populace will see in him only the ~mouthpiece OF the corporation
that supports him. .
And, in truth the attitude Of the lawyer in the service u
these great corporations is . dependent one.
The position of the general practitioner is very lndepeno-
emit He has many clients and no one can. injure him greatly N
the withdrawal of his favor But the attorney employeo os 4
of these great corporations has only one retainer. Inc '0os i
no other client ever crosses his threshold. If ne resigns MS
Mace or is discharged, he stands absolutely without employment"
Il is extremely difficult for the man so circumstanced 70 preserve
the independence of his opinions in public affairs. The mere
habit of the lawyers of looking at things from the standpoint OF
his client, will warp his Judgment, and unconsaousiy ne Will
sneak as the mouthpiece of the corporation
T. is true that there are now lawyers in our great cities VINO
earn more than the most illustrious Of their predecessors ~
their earnings are trivial compared with the incomes o mu'Sf
milionaires who surround them. And however great their earn
ings may be, they are always insufficient. To make them 1neS
are compelled to associate with their clients whose incomes VI
many times as large; their gains are consumed IN "a expenses
living and few of them are able to accumulate an mdepehoeh'.
fortune. This relative poverty has brought with it, q decline IN
social influence. Society is organized on the basis OF give ana
take; and with rare exceptions those who are unable to return
hospitality in like kind and degree are suffered to drop ou1' Is III
deed their own self-respect usually induces them to do"
Parenthetically we desire to state that we are not opposed
to the accumulation of wealth, but to the unlawful methods ov
which it is so often acquired and used.
At the annual meetings of the American Bar Association,
addresses are Being delivered by prominent orators, calling me
attention of the Bar to its responsibility and duty in our gov
ernmental crisis. The one delivered by Senator Wm' L. oorah'
from which we quote, uses this language. .m
"The American lawyer looks out upon a field crowded Win
nroblems equal in moment and fully as difficult as those with
which Selden and Marshall dealt. He ought to find time, II pos
sible, to share in the pleasure and exhiliaration as well a' 1he
glory of working, not now and then but daily IN 1nls ViheSafu'
But while this seems to be the plain duty OF the lawyer nt
in office what are the equally plain and more obvious duties OF a
lawyer who has entered the halls Of legislation as a sworn 0mcer
and with the public alone for his client?
I do not believe that a lawyer has any more right as a mat
ter of correct public service to hold a retainer while writing a
law in the public interest and that a law which may a1fect MS
client adversely than has a judge to hold retaaners from 1hose
whose interests may be affected by the decisions which ne renders
or the judgment which he signs. Is it not as important " "e
public that laws be framed free of the influence, conscious or n
conscious of private interests, as that they be ADMINISTERED re-
of such influence? Custom has Injured us to a different CODE OF
ethics, but this custom has brought in its wake many lnapt IN
efficient statutes, timid and ineffective in their terms, snlelolng
snepc;al interests and protecting private advantages and ahogeth-
er inefficient for the service and protection OF the public interest,"
A member of Congress is in an indefensible position, who IS
called upon to leglate concerning those matters IN Wnlch rs
clients may have an interest, and which may concern them Vl5any'
-..,l.,- ~, \ poo1o uT1 in Inn time Insist
that their representatives in Congress shall stand free from the
relationship of client and attorney with reference to all those
matters upon which they are called to legislae as now character
ICES the great tribunal which passes finally upon the constitution
atty of the laws which we make"
1t is unquestionably true that the sphere of action in the
legal profession has been enlarged by reason OF the TACT that
the LAWYER has entered the world of business, in connerton with
the practice of his profession. He no LANCER merely advises his
clients as to the law, but they consult him as a man OF afalrs'
relative to the conduct of business in which he frequently takes
an active and leading part.
n..:l,. uvr,o, +bnc ooints ont that the trusts are public