Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 24.pdf/248

This page needs to be proofread.

Correspondence "How long had you known each other?" asked Judge Burke. "Only a few minutes," replied Billie. "We just got acquainted and had some fun," said Dan. "Five dollars each for mutual assault," said the judge. — Boston Herald.

219

"Do you know what a verdict is?" asked a lawyer, challenging an Arkansas colored jury man. "No, sah." "Did you ever see one? ' "No, sah! I nebber was at a show in my life." — Oklahoma Law Journal.

Correspondence Demanded—Simple Justice To the Editor of the Green Bag: —

Sir: By the consensus of authority, the paramount problem is Simple Jus tice. A tabulated vote of the thinkers of this country, gathered last year by the National Economic League, puts delay in the administration of justice as the third most vitally interesting question for our country and generation, and which yet awaits solution. For the thirty-sixth year the Bar Association of the state of Illinois will meet in Chicago April 26 and 27. The main subject chosen for general dis cussion is "Reform in Procedure in the Courts" — the very question over which the heart of the nation throbs. Bar associations of the different states are invited to send representatives, with the expectation that the discussion may be helpful to the cause of procedural re forms throughout the nation. The twelfth annual meeting of the National Civic Federation, where also one of the live subjects for discussion is to be "Reform in Legal Procedure," is to meet in Washington, on March 5, 6 and 7. In fact a special "program for the work of the department on re form in legal procedure will be outlined, and it is hoped that this department can be made an effective aid to all move ments working for legal reform." Former judge, president of the American Bar Association and nominee for the Presi

dency of the United States, Alton B. Parker, is chairman of this department of the Civic Federation. The preamble to the American Bar Association is: "Its object shall be to advance the science of jurisprudence, promote the administration of justice and uniformity of legislation throughout the union, uphold the honor of the profession of the law and encourage cordial intercourse among the mem bers of the American Bar," etc. Now, it is our observation that it matters little about the number of suits brought in the courts; the final deter mination of the lawsuits is delayed about as long as ever; and increasing the number of judges scarcely hastens the adjudication. So delays in the admin istration of justice in our courts must hang upon some other causes in society. Let us, for instance, indulge in the philosophy of comparison. The half savage, half clad tribes of earth enjoy simplicity in habits, wearing apparel, and the administration of justice among themselves. As they advance in the social scale of our time standard, the former savages find living and life rapidly growing complex and cumbersome. And then, naturally, the administration of justice becomes more and more swamped with man-made law and diversified modes of administration of justice. Our forefathers of simple tastes and habits