ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT

FREDERICK A. BROWN

OF CHICAGO

The year just passed has been the most successful in many ways that the Association has ever enjoyed. The membership has increased more in twelve months last past than in any twenty-four months heretofore, so that our association is, with one exception, the largest state bar association in the United States.

Its finances are in a most excellent condition, and for probably the first time in the history of the Association, there is money in the treasury and all obligations of all kinds, whether billed or not, have been paid.

The several meetings of the Association have been largely attended. The Annual Dinner to the Supreme Court had the largest attendance of lawyers ever held in this state, with the exception of the banquet given by the Illinois State Bar Association to Colonel Roosevelt.

The various committees of the Association have been active and much valuable work has been accomplished. The district meetings which have been held in the Supreme Court districts of the state have been well attended, and the discussions there, mostly on the proposed constitution, have been very instructive, have crystallized sentiment among the lawyers, and, I trust, will have their influence on the convention.

A great man once said that a frequent recurrence to the fundamental principles of liberty was of benefit to mankind. So is a frequent recurrence to the objects of the Association a benefit to its members. The objects of this Association as stated in its charter are to "cultivate a science of jurisprudence, to promote reform in law, to facilitate the adminstration of justice and to elevate a standard of integrity, honor and courtesy in the legal profession, to

encourage a thorough and liberal legal education and to cultivate and cherish a spirit of brotherhood among its members." For forty-four years the Illinois State Bar Association has been doing just these things and has had great influence on the lawyers of Illinois. Nowhere in the world is there better knowledge of the science of jurisprudence. Nowhere is there a greater love for justice, and a determination to have it. Nowhere is there a higher standard of integrity, honor and courtesy in the legal profession, and nowhere is there a more splendid spirit of brotherhood than among its members. That we have reached perfection in all these things it would be foolish to assert, but taking all in all, no bar surpasses that of the great state of Illinios.

I wish at this time to call the attention of its members and to congratulate them on carrying into effect two objects for which it now exists. First, "to encourage a thorough and legal education," and second, "to elevate the standard of integrity, honor and courtesy in the legal profession."

A great forward step in raising the standard of education among the lawyers of Illinois has been taken by the Supreme Court of this state as the result of many years of work on the part of your Association. Ten years ago a committee of this Association, of which Honorable Merritt Starr was chairman, made a report which was approved by you, recommending that all candidates for admission to the bar should have sufficient education to admit them to the freshman class of the University of Illinois. The Supreme Court of the state did not think it wise at that time to make this requirement. The subsequent committees of the Illinois State Bar Association, however, have continually pressed this matter, with the result that three years ago the Supreme Court adopted the recommendation of your Association. Beginning in October of this year, every applicant for admission to practice, before he begins the study of law, must have a diploma from an approved high

school, which diploma will admit him without examination and without conditions to the freshman class of the University of Illinois, or other university of equal standing. Arrangements have been made with the university for giving these examinations three times a year.

Another rule has recently been adopted by the Supreme Court which requires that every applicant, after he has passed the examination for admission, must appear before a Committee on Character and Fitness, and prove to that committee that he is of such character and such fitness as will entitle him to be a member of our profession.

I feel that no steps have been taken in recent years that so raises the standard of learning and integrity in our profession as does the action of the Supreme Court in these respective matters.

The by-laws of the Association provide that the president shall "deliver an annual address, embodying briefly therein references to recent changes in the law, its present state and administration, and his recommendations in respect thereto as shall seem best calculated to serve the common weal." The last legislature was wonderfully energetic and enacted more laws, as shown in the more than one thousand pages of the Session Laws, than any legislature in the history of this state.

It may develop that the most important legislation was that providing for the new constitution, of which I shall have more to say later on.

The Civil Administration Statutes, for which our distinguished governor, who is a member of this Association, is responsible, have changed the entire administration of the governmental functions of the state, increased their efficiency tremendously and placed them on a business basis. The statutes serve as an illustration of what can be done in constructive legislation, and may well be followed by other states of the Union and particularly by our federal government.

A Corporation Code has been adopted; also the Securi

ties Act, popularly called the Blue Sky Law, and is being enforced; an annual franchise tax has been levied upon all corporations, the Act in regard to the administration of estates has been amended; a Zoning law has been adopted, and a statute requiring civil service commissions to give preference to former service men. The Act on Coroners has been amended, and an Act adopted prohibiting settlements in bastardy cases for less than eight hundred dollars without approval of the Court.

The Banking Act and the Act on Loan Associations have been amended; a law providing for court reporters and a Marshall of the Supreme Court has been passed. The Workmen's Compensation Act has been amended. A Rehabilitation law has been adopted. The court fees have been increased. The insurance laws have been amended as well as the Mechanic's Lien Act. A law requiring the attendance of witnesses before a Commissioner on a suit pending in another state has been adopted. A law permitting free text books in schools, providing the people of the respective communities desire it, has been enacted.

A law has been passed giving the judges of all courts of record a pension on retiring for any cause, if they have served twenty-four years and have reached the age of sixty-five years, the yearly pension to be one-half the amount received by the judge during his last year of service. The salary of circuit judges outside of Cook County has been increased to sixty-five hundred dollars per annum.

A law has been enacted for the selection of candidates for the bench by the party committeemen of the state. I would have a great deal to say about this law were it not for the fact that the Board of Governors have set apart several hours of our meeting for its discussion.

The one subject that has overshadowed all others during the last year has been that of the proposed constitution. It has been my privilege and duty to attend all of the district meetings of the Illinois State Bar Association throughout the state. I have heard discussed at all of these