The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-09-01
ANNUAL STATE BAR
CONvENTIONOPFNS
SESSIONS BEING HELD IN
MINNEAPOLIS
TWO DAYS OF LABORS'
Governor Preus Extended Wei.
come To Disciples of
Blackstone.
tAssoctated Press Dispatch. ]


Six hundred attorneys at law from
practically every city and town in
Minnesota, assembled here today
for the annual convention of the
Minnesota State Bar association.
Sessions will be held also tomorrow
and Saturday.
With many major subjects before
them the convention was declared
by H. T. Park, of Minneapolis, who
was in charge of the. arrangements,
to be the most important meeting
With Vice President w. A. Ian
caster of the organization, presid-
ing, the convention was formally
orened with welcoming address
by Governor J. A. o. Preus. In ad-
dition to his words of welcome, the
governor, not oblivious to the bar
associations opposition outlined
his plan for a state constabulary.
Because of the increasing crime
and the ease of escape by automo-
bile across country roads Governor
Preus declared the proposed state
police would greatly increase the
effectiveness of state wide protec-
ton and make it more difficult for
robbers and highwaymen to evade
the authorities.
Abolish Grand Jury
OPINION among the bar associa-
tion,- according to Mr.. Park, favors
state association Of present elected
authorities, such as an organization
of sheriffs of the state. who would
act as a cooperating body, whlcn
would be as efficacious as the COVER
Unnl6
minus it's many disadvantages.
OF especial importance this
morning was the report delivered
by a srecial committee favoring the
abolition of the grand jury in most
respects. A minority report from
the same committee, however dis
sented in several respects.
The majority report recommend
ed that the use of the grand jury
be dispensed with in the ordinary
criminal case" Many of the argu-
ments submitted against the pres
ent system were that the system Is
antiquated, cumbersome and expen-
sive: that in most cases 1t acts as a
rubber stamp" of the county at
torney; that the county attorney
uses the grand jury to pass the
buck to" and that the grand 1uries
OIt6n leak 1nIOTIHdLlOH. J hS AC-
port further recommended:
The Minority Report
THAT the county attorney file In.
believes should be prosecuted for
crime. That every such person
should have right to preliminary
hearing before a magistrate The
magistrate should either dismiss
the information or bind the defend
ant over to trial at the next term
of court. II a hearing is necessary
in order to discover evidence as is
somtimes claimed, provision should
be made whereby the county attor-
ney could summon witnesses before
magistrate for the purpose of get
ting information to start prosecu-
ton.
LAS the use of the grand jury Is
sometimes necessary and desirable
In cases involving county officials
or unusual condition arising in a
community, we further suggest that
the law provide that grand Jury
may be summoned by the presiding
Judge of the district, by the county
attorney, by the county commits
sioners or by a certain number Of
taxpayers.
I'VE believe that the adoption OF
the foregoing suggestion VIII pre-
serve all of the benefits Of the
grand Jury system and do away
with its bad and expensive fea-
lures" Paul ]. Thomson Of MIN.
neapolis was chairman of the COM
mittee, &c.,.
Other Committee Reports
The minority report, signed by
Warren E. Greene and concurred
In by two other committee MEM
,bers, is strongly opposed to the sys-
tenn, by which witnesses would be
summoned before a magistrate be-
cause 1t would involve public rec
ord Of such evidence.
There is no reason why the de-
be advised of all the states evil
mainder of the morning was taken
up with committee reports:
Citing the fact that Minnesota
now has in force seven of the uni.
Gform commercial acts" the commit
tee on uniform state laws recon-
mended in a resolution that the
lawyers Of the state in correspond
ence and discussion mention the
uniform act by its short name when
the issue comes under that law.
A total of 1899 volumes have
been added to the state library In
the capitol building, st. Paul, the
committee on State Library report
ed, bringing the aggregate totak to
SO, $50 bound volumes. The mem
bership committee also reported. d,
II