The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-12-28
THE STATE MUST LIVE

Editor Star: BY this title would
have you imply that the common peo-
pie, the laborer, the producer and
those engaged in useful pursuits must
live
When the policies of government |
are diverting to non-useful pursuits
the energies of millions, the burden
to support those non-useful millions
may grow too heavy. The common
citizens by honesty, labor and thrift
may not be able to support them
selves and the vast army of parasites,
whose ranks are now being swelled by
governmental policies.
am of the chief parasites, for I
am a lawyer. To characterize US
harsher terms are frequently used,
but by common consent we are para
sites, and we are charge on produc-
tive energy. Reforms should Legin
at home, and it is fitting, therefore,
to consider in my first article some
changes that could be made to lessen
this particular burden to society.
Some are reluctant to admit that
even a few lawyers are a necessary
evil, while all should condemn policies
which multiply their numbers by thou
sands.
With a liberty loving and free peo-
pie there must ever be need for law
yers, but great economic waste is
entailed when we needlessly divert
from useful pursuits thousands of our
brightest young men by holding on
the lure of wealth and fame. I would
speak of those public policies that
operate to swell the ranks of my pro-
fession and east enormous costs upon
production, for the public should be
interested to consider how these evils
might be minimized. Lawyers cannot
live and multiply without clients, and
if point out that we pursue policies
that force or invite litigation neither
the lawyer nor his client is to be
blamed.
Il The fact that law carries no ap-
4 preparation or tax does not warrant
the conclusion that it will cost the
4 public nothing, for the most innocent
. looking bill may soon shift heavy
costs upon the public.
I For the present, / prefer to refer
1 to the methods followed by US In en-
i acting laws, rather than to question
! the merits of any particular legisla-
4 ton. What are our methods in this
, important detail? Laws are drafted
with utter lack of care or skill, with.
out proper regard to other laws, anc
new, untried and empty terms are EN-.
ployed to cause lawsuits that could be
easily avoided.
j General statutes are infringed upor
by food of amendments that leave:
all in doubt, and constitutional re
{ straints are fiouted at viii. Local anC
) partisan interests are too often re
/ fiected rather than consideration o.
the public good.
q Many important general laws tina
t have stood for years In need of correc
ton to make them complete are for
) gotten, while we reach out for tn,
t new and experimental.
: No wonder society is torn and tina
: the lawyers prosper, for bi-annuall!
) clients by the score are driven to theil
> tenoer embraces.
81 To instance just one case of abus,
) and neglect: The special charters TO
: cities and towns in this state cove
!. thousands of pages of our statutes
{ present every known form and ides
/ Of municipal government A flood O
: such charters and amendments ar,
, YEARLY ground out by each legisla
ture Outside of the city or town af
fected, no one reads or cares wha
, they contain, but they are grist To-
| the lawyer and work for the courts.
q This particular abuse might hav,
/ been avoided years ago by one gen
! eral law written upon a dozen pages
/ and permitting the cities and towns
{ within the limits of the constitution
) to adopt their own charters. But fol-
al years the general law has stood 81
= grossly incomplete that every city AMI
) town in the state is forced to adopt
) this method.
Il For truth / may say that within