The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-24
LAWYERS ARE
POORLY PAID,
SAYSSPEAKER
State Tax Commissioner Cites
Income Tax Reports in
Support of Contention
DENTISTS AND DOCTORS
Compares Three Incomes as a
Class in North Dakota
From Reports Given
Especial to The Tribune

comes of lawyers are not so great
as to excite the envy of men in other
professions and businesses in North
Dakota, Tax Commissioner c. G. Cor
verse told the members of the Bar
Association of North Dakota in scs-
sion here today.
"Of the $40 lawyers in North Da-
kota, only 40 percent of them had
large enough net incomes so that
they were required to report them
to the office of the state tax COM
missioner" Mr.. Converse said. There
were 2O6 lawyers constituting the 40
percent that did make reports. Among
this better paid class of lawyers, the
average net income per year was
$3,4l2, the speaker said.
GAS you all know, unless it be visit
ors, from outside the state, the ex-
emptions under our state income tax
law are $4,000 for a married man,
plus 5000 for each child, and the ex-
emption for single man is $1,000"
Mr.. Converse said. "The conclusion
follows that 60 percent of our law
yers are SO poorly paid that their
net incomes fall below these exemp-
tion figures. Manifestly they are
having their financial troubles with
the present price of food, clothing
and rent. What about their chill
dren? How can they, on such incomes,
assist their children in obtaining as
good an education as they themselves
have?"
A comparison slows incomes OF
phvsicians in the state little higher
than lawyers, Mr.. Converse said.
While only 40 percent of the lawyers
are required to report, 80 percent
of the physicians are required to,
and of those who do report the av-
erage net income is $3.50. while the
average net lncome of the lawyers
is $3,412, he said.
In the case of dentists the tax
commissioner reported that there are
2iJ in the state, OF, which number
136, or approximately so percent,
make incomes sufficient that they
are required to report them for as
sessment of income tax. OF those who
do report, he said, the average net
income is $2,928 from which, he said,
"One may deduce the conclusion that
+be maximum income of dentists does
not run as high in North Dakota as
the maximum income of doctors or
lawyers"
Maximum Incomes
GAS a matter Of fact" the tax COM
missioner continued, "the maximum
net income of dentists runs from
$4,000 to $4,000. In the legal profess
sion there are few lawyers whose
incomes are large enough to bring up
the general average appreciably, al
though the maximums run from
$4,000 to $4,000. The maximum In
come of physicians is much larger
than that of lawyers, running from
$4,000 to as high as $4,000. and
there are number Of physicians
whose incomes greatly exceed those OF
the lawyers who have the largest in
comes, thus, bringing up the aver
age income of physicians. So, much
for comparison which may be sum.
med up in the statement that the
lawyers are more poorly paid than
either dentists or physicians, and
that the maximum income of lawyers
does not approach the maximum in
come of physicians"
Turning to the causes of the small
incomes of lawyers, Mr.. Converse
said that there are both local causes
and causes which are nationwide.
Among such causes he noted fore
closure fees, saying that "these have
been reduced to point where fore
closure work might almost be classed
as undesirable and it is fact that
lawyers frequently find that their
Justice court work Is more profitable
than their foreclosure work. One may
we'll question whether it is sound
public policy to reduce foreclosure
fees to such a point that the pur-
chaser of North Dakota mortgages is
not protected in the payment Of an
adequate attorneys fee in case he
is so unfortunate as to be obliged
to foreclose on his security. The in.
adequacy Of attorneys fees allowed
in mortgage foreclosures cannot do
otherwise than react unfavorably up
on the market for North Dakota
mortgages, and no doubt has ten.
dency to raise the rate Aof interest
which North Dakota borrowers must
pay"
"Hard times" Of recent years have
reduced the income Of lawyers, Mr..
Converse said, declaring that 1T is
a common notion, but mistaken one.
that lawyers are prosperous when
men in other lines Of business are in
financial difficulties"
When Business Drops
This follows, the speaker said, be-
cause when times are hard many q
man who should protect his rights
by litigation will not do SO because
of the expense he would incur. a
centralized market for collection bus
mess also has decreased an income
which was fairly lucrative two or
three decades ago, he said. Litigation
of large corporations also has been
centralized, he added.
II was not expected to suggest q
Z remedy for such condition and have
none to suggest" said Mr.. Converse.
st might be desirable, however. II
young men who are contemplating
(Coitinued on Page Two)