eeding
the rules of justice to the utmost.

It is to be remembered that the lawyer occupies an uncertain position.
As an officer of the court he is sworn to promote justice; as a
champion in the battle he is under the deep obligation of performing
his utmost for his client. At times the conflict between his duties
seems real. As an officer of the court he has the privilege of the
floor. He can be heard and is admitted to the court. It is as though
he had joined a club in which dueling or gaming is permitted. The
obligation resting upon him is to act as a gentleman and obey the
rules and not to cheat. If he keeps to the rules he is presumably a
gentleman and can do what he pleases for his clients.

If there is any complaint about the courts it is held to be the fault
of the lawyers, if there are criticisms of the lawyers it is the fault
of the courts. They are interdependent and indissoluble. If a club
house is not suitable for its purposes, is old-fashioned, rickety, and
dirty, it is the fault of the members. If the members do not behave
the club house gets a bad reputation.

Courts are institutions, and not persons; the lawyers are the
individual stockholders. If by his actions in court or in the club he
brings disgrace on himself as a lawyer or upon his club, there is very
little to be done about it. The club membership may be more limited
and select, but the building will not be improved except that it may
be swept a little cleaner.

The judge as the president of the club must see that the lawyers
observe the rules, he can not rebuild the club house or materially
change the rules. The only persons who can effect a change are the
lawyers. As members, they are agents for their clients who are the
public at large. Occasionally the public awakes to a realization of
their power over both courts and lawyers, that they are their
creatures; then happens a revolution in procedure and something is
accomplished.

The lawyer waits about the courthouse for his case to be reached. It
may take days or even weeks before it is marked ready. He wastes his
time. The witnesses have been subpoenaed. They have to be told to
come again the next day. There is little money in it for the lawyer.
Office practice pays better than court work and except for the eminent
pleaders there is but small honor.

During the trial the lawyer seems to be sparring. He takes the
attitude of saying: "I want that point of law decided; it is such a
nice