OF

The Wisconsin State Bar
Association

Annual Conference at Appleton
June 26, 27, 28, 1924

MADISON, WISCONSIN

1924

PROCEEDINGS OF THE WISCONSIN STATE BAR ASSOCIATION

AT THE

Annual Meeting Held at Appleton, Wisconsin,
June 26, 27, 28, 1924

2 P. M. JUNE 26

PRESIDENT HAYES: The meeting will please come to order. Gentlemen, Mr. Bradford, President of the Outagamie County Bar Association.

MR. BRADFORD: Ladies and Gentlemen. I read a long, long time ago that the way to entertain a distinguished guest was to make him feel that he could do just as he pleased; talk or keep silent; laugh if he felt like it, drink or go thirsty. Now we want to entertain you in that best way. You may Leed a little guidance, but not much. An old legal friend of mine used to rejoice in saying that the lawyers and their wives were the intellectual aristocracy of America. I did not dispute it. Maybe some of you might have done so as a sort of a vocal declaration of your modesty, but it would not represent your mental convictions.

These conventions of lawyers of the different states of our country are the most important gatherings that we have, and they are going to grow in importance. They are going to become the training camps for men to protect a republican form of government. Upon the lawyers of this country are many grave and important burdens. First, a courageous stand for the enforcement of the law. We also have a grave responsibility in getting before the voters of this country a history of our constitution, of its makings and its purposes, so that in the event of changes the voters will intelligently cast their ballots. John Marshall said: "Whenever hostility to existing system shall become universal it will be also irresistible. The people made the constitution, and the people can unmake it. It is the creature of their own will, and lives only by their will." When the time comes, and it may come

when an effort shall be made to strip our judiciary of its power and its purpose, the lawyers of this country must see that the issue is made, plain to the voters. If they see fit to change our form of government after being intelligently advised, we must abide..

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are very happy to be your hosts. We hope that out of this splendid program, and out of this social touch you will take away with you much of profit and many. pleasant memories of this convention. On behalf of the Outagamie County Bar I welcome you. (Applause)

PRESIDENT HAYES: President Bradford of the Outagamie County Bar Association: The Wisconsin State Bar Association accepts with gratitude the invitation to meet here so generously extended one year ago. It accepts with like gratitude the hearty and generous welcome which you have just spoken. The State Bar Association is fortunate in holding a meeting here. Appleton is one of the cities of which all the citizens of Wisconsin are proud. It is a city of which the people of the state speak with a peculiar satisfaction. They take pride when elsewhere, in singing the praises of Appleton, and speaking of the qualities of her people. You have a beautiful setting. Nature has been kind. You have numbers and wealth. But the distinguishing marks of Appleton are not in these, but in its churches, in its educational institutions, in its civic spirit. Appleton is notable for the spiritual and moral as well as the intellectual qualities of her people. You note I have enumerated the spiritual, first, the moral, second, and the intellectual, third. As the years go by we as a people are coming more and more to recognize in the order stated the true value of these qualities. The spiritual and moral have given Appleton a character; and it is the character of the city, the character of the people that have won for it an enviable place in the country at large. We thank you.

BY THE SECRETARY: I have a telegram received by the President, reading as follows:

"Dear Mr. Hayes:

Kindly extend to the members of the State Bar Association my greetings. Please say that I confidently expected to be with them, but that my hopes are disappointed. I wish them every success at this meeting.

(Applause)

P. H. MARTIN.”

THE PRESIDENT: Gentlemen of the Association: Some of you may not know-many of you do know-that Mr. Martin

is ill; perhaps seriously ill. For many years he has been one of the most resourceful and able members of the Wisconsin Bar. He was four years ago President of this Association. He is either known personally to all, or he is known by all. His reputation is well established. It seems an appropriate thing for the Association to take action that may prove cheering to Mr. Martin. What is the pleasure of the Association? The Chair suggests that a committee of three be appointed to call upon Mr. Martin, and extend to him the good wishes, if you please, the love and affection of the Association.

DEAN SCHOETZ: Mr. President, I move the adoption of that suggestion on your part, that a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to visit Mr. Martin.

Motion seconded and carried unanimously.

PRESIDENT: The committee will be appointed shortly. The next thing in order is the reports of certain committees. The time taken in the reports of these committees will be brief.

REPORT OF JUDICIAL COMMITTEE.

To the Wisconsin State Bar Association:

Gentlemen: The Judicial Committee beg leave to submit the following report:

Since the last meeting of the Bar Association the Committee has satisfactorily disposed of two matters then undisposed of, and there is still one matter left from last year which we have tried to close up, and in which we have received some twelve letters and written thirteen without being able to bring the matter to a head, though the party against whom complaint was made has verbally and by letter agreed to settle the matter.

We have had placed before us this year seven complaints, three of which have been satisfactorily disposed of and four are open at the date of this report.

The complaints involve withholding of moneys collected, failure to turn over part of fees to forwarders, withholding of papers of clients, one more serious charge of the holding of money collected on judgment, which is one of the cases satisfactorily adjusted.

The matters involve a large amount of correspondence and the fact that the Committee is without any legal standing or authority makes it difficult to get speedy adjustments, but in the main, we find most of the attorneys disposed to clean up the matters, though usually after some correspondence. Respectfully submitted this 26th day of June, A. D. 1924. J. C. THOMPSON, Chairman.