The Bar Admission
The following editorial com
ment appeared in the Ketchi
kan Chronicle very soon after
Mr. A1 White, U. S. Marshal, was
admitted to the bar by a special
committee of Juneau Attorneys.
Mr. White was the first man
admitted by Judge Justin W.
Harding.
It is thought that the subject
of admission to the bar was
brought to the editor’s mind by
Mr. White’s admission. We be
lieve that Mr. White is the “un
qualified” person against whom
the editor warns.
The editorial follows:
The Bar Admimssion Mill
A few years ago there was
more or less of a scandal thru
out the United States when it
was learned that there was a
certain institution in bt. Louis
selling physicians diplomas by
the gross and for a fixed price.
In Alaska today there is no such
scandal in connection with the
admission of men to the prac
tice of law, but there is and has
been a laxity that is regrettable.
Men highly unqualified are
“passing examinations” and are
being accepted to the bar. It
is a belittling of the profession
and an insult and injury to the
public. If the lawyers them
selves have not the decency to
protect their own profession, to
make it worthy of the name
“profession,” the layman should
step in.
It is a subject which might
well be taken up by the next le
gislature, with a view to pass
ing drastic measures to insure
at least a common intelligence
in the persons of those admit
ted to appear in the courts. The
practice of referring applica
tions for admissions to special
committees is vicious and un
fair. There should be a territor
ial fear examining board, select
ed from the men highest in the
profession and these men should
set such rules as would do away
with the farce now and in past
years practiced in the Territory.
What has been done is not
now of consequence as is the
future in the matter of admis
sion to the bar.
WICKERSHAM ON TRAP SITES
Continued from Page 5
by the Territory. The only safe
and certain way for the Terri
tory or its people to have any
interest in them, subject to tax
ation, is by the enactment of the
bill under consideration in some
form.
In conclusion, I earnestly re
quest you to carefully examine
the proposed bill, and submit it
to every fair test; determine
whether it will not leave the
trap question in better shape
for the public interest, as well
as the private interest; submit
this letter, if you like, to some
attorney, in or out of any De
partment, and discover if the
conclusions which occur to me
are the fair ones to draw from
the present laws and the propos
ed Act; and, finally, if you
reach the conclusion which I
have, that it is in the interest of
the public good, and the pro
tection and conservation of the
Alaska Fisheries, then intro
due the bill, or permit someone
else to do so, and let it become
a law. If that shall occurr the
whole scope of the Alaska fish
eries will then be where they
ought to be, under the control
and management of one execu
tive head.
Very Truly yours,
(signed) JAMES WICKERSHAM
DOMESTIC CALENDAR
Wat—“When was your new
baby born?”
Knott—“Between the second
payment on the radio and the
eighth on the auto.
CHARLES BENJAMIN
Headquarters For
Fishermans Sap^ies of All Kinds
Wrangell, Alaska
Easy Steps
Steps were invented for convemence. They enable
you to mount by easy stages.
Small, steady deposits in youi bank account are the
easy steps by which you reach your financial goal.
Start a Savings Account Today
Miners and Merchants Bank
Ketchkan
Established in I9G6