comparative jurisprudence in such papers as "Sources and Development of the Law of the Province of Quebec," by W. J. White, K. C., of Montreal; "Special Features of Louisiana Law," by Chief Justice Nichols of that State; "Japanese Law," by the Secretary of the Japanese Legation at Washington; "Jus Gentium and the Law Merchant," by Judge Wm. Wirt Howe of New Orleans. Among the many biographical sketches may be mentioned two of Chief Justice Taney, and one of William Wirt of Virginia, read to the Bar of far-off North Dakota. "The Impeachment and Trial of Andrew Johnson," "The Career of Aaron Burr, an episode of American History," and "Some Bits of Unpublished History," being incidents in the life of Andrew Jackson, will appeal to the history-loving lawyer.

The enormous increase in commerce, the consolidation of the means of carriage into a few giant corporations with practically unlimited power, have naturally brought to the fore the question of the control of these corporations. So we find the lawyers listening to papers on "Interstate Commerce and the Constitution," "Railway and Transportation Commissions," "Can Congress Constitutionally Empower the Interstate Commerce Commission to Fix Railway Rates?"

As a study of cases Solicitor General Richards' analysis of the recent Insular Decisions of the United States Supreme Court is interesting and helpful.

Of course there are the usual number of papers on strictly professional topics, as "Dower in Qualified Fees," "The Rights of a Municipality to Abate a Nuisance in the Streets without the Preliminary Action of the Courts," "Conflicting Decisions of State and Federal Courts," the last reminding us of the excellent paper on the same subject to which we listened, last year, by Mr. R. C. Alston, of Atlanta.

The study and practice of the law leads into the realm of the practical rather than the artistic. We are not surprised, therefore, that the poetic muse of only one lawyer should break forth in song. And the subject of Mr. Pruyn's poem, "A Day in Court," is hardly one to inspire any very lofty flights of poetic fancy.

Among the annual addresses, which in most of the Associations are usually made by some distinguished lawyer from another State, two are of especial interest to us, having been made by members of this Association. Our President, Captain Burton Smith, being far away from home, took as his text Luke xxiv:5: "Why seek ye the living among the dead," and evolved therefrom a sermon which greatly edified his Hoosier congregation. He exhorted his brethren to forsake the evil of old forms and old precedents and to let justice run, have free course and be glorified regardless of what the courts may have held or the fathers may have written. The discourse made a most favorable impression.

In our sister State across the Chattahoochee, one of our former Presidents, now Mr. Justice Lamar, explained in his usual fascinating and forceful style, "The Work and Position of American Courts." The contrast between the courts of this country and those of all other nations, ours being supreme and the final arbiter of all questions, while all others are subordinate to the legislative or executive will, is graphically pointed out. And not only have American courts jurisdiction, the scope and supremacy of which places them on an entirely different footing from those of the rest of the world, but, says Mr. Lamar, the constant tendency in this country is to confer upon the judiciary larger and more important powers, while the legislatures are being more and more restricted in their authority, and their acts even within this limited sphere, are being more and more mistrusted even by themselves. American Courts not

only pass upon the rights of individuals, but sit in judgment upon the acts of the other co-ordinate branches of the government; their decisions not only determine the status of the citizen, but the rights and liberties of races, tribes and States, great political questions, problems of governmental policy, financial questions whose magnitude staggers the imagination, must finally be submitted to their judgment, and though controlling neither purse nor sword, their decrees are acquiesced in by the American people whose confidence in them as the years go by becomes more enduring and more unshaken. From the ranks of the bar those who are to sit upon the bench are chosen. No wonder, then, that those who may be called upon to occupy these exalted stations, and whose life work is to assist the courts in arriving at the truth, and in administering justice, should be regarded as quasi-public servants. To quote from Mr. Lamar, "As lawyers, we hold no office under the State, get no compensation or salary from its treasury, and yet we are treated as public officers, required to submit evidence of character, qualification and learning, required to take an oath, and bound by rules imposed upon no other profession."

That the lawyers of the Union appreciate the unique position which they occupy and are earnestly endeavoring to faithfully discharge their voluntary obligations to the public, is clearly shown from the reports of the Bar Associations. In none of them do we find any suggestion looking to the aggrandizement of the lawyer, no resolution or report on the subject of fees, no request for any privilege or immunity, no complaint of his condition, not a word as to his selfish interests. The effort is to raise the standard of education, of proficiency, of morality and ethics, to make the bar better able to discharge the duties required of it, to increase the efficacy of the courts, and to keep them ever above suspicion, to correct such defects in the laws as experience has pointed out, to perfect the jurispru

dence of the State and of the nation. It is not surprising that such disinterested effort should be appreciated and the service of these organized bodies of trained men accepted. Almost every Association may point to some definite work of substantial benefit to the State accomplished through its efforts. In some of the States the fact that the Association is back of a measure is sufficient to secure its passage. Last year the Governor of Ohio asked for a committee of the Association to assist him in preparing his recommendations to the Legislature.

The American lawyer is a patriot. He believes in his country. He loves his country. He does not always agree with the policy of her rulers. He often sees breakers ahead and lifts his voice in warning. He does not believe that all the good has been buried with the bones of the ancients, but he is wisely conservative and not apt to be swept away by new and untried theories. He readily sees imperfections in the laws and their operation and fearlessly points out the remedies. But he has an abiding faith in his country and her institutions. In times of public peril his voice, and if need be his sword, are at her command. In the "piping times of peace" his energy, his thought, his life are given to her service. In the Bar Association we see him at his best, removed from the tedious and sordid details of his professional life which hamper and dwarf him. And we learn to admire him for what he is, for what he thinks, for what he does, and for what he endeavors.

APPENDIX H.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON JURISPRUDENCE AND LAW REFORM.

To the Georgia Bar Association:

The serious illness of Hon. John W. Akin, the learned and highly esteemed Chairman of this committee, and the engagements of Hon. W. W. Osborne, has rendered it necessary that this report should be made by its other members.

The question was naturally suggested to the committee: "What has been the fate of reports made by its predecessors and, if those reports contained valuable matter for the consideration of this Association, whether it would not be wise to call attention again to some of the features presented by them?"

We have concluded that it would not be amiss to briefly allude to a portion of such matter, and will devote this report mainly thereto.

The committee for the year 1887, Hon. W. H. Fleming being Chairman, advised that laws on the subject of supplementary proceedings against debtors be enacted.

The committee for the year 1889, Hon. Julius L. Brown being Chairman, recommended that municipal charters be made uniform for cities of the same classes, and be granted under general laws.

The committee for the year 1894, Hon. Geo. Hillyer being Chairman, suggested rotation of judges of the superior courts of this State in holding such courts.