thought he was a good man to go there. I can't see why he is objecting to the present scheme at all. (Laughter.) But I do say that the present scheme, in my judgment, is working well. It is based on wisdom and experience, and I see no reason for a change, and I can see danger in the anticipated change which may cause trouble and injury to our institution. I therefore must move that the resolution of my friend lie on the table.

Judge Graham: Of course, it will go without saying, that, with my long association in the infancy of this Association with my esteemed and distinguished friend I have the profoundest respect for anything which he attempts to do in this Association, because it is always meant for good. We miss it when he doesn't stir us up every now and then. But I must say that this is one of the times, Mr. President, when I must disagree with the gentleman, and, in my opinion, upon well founded reasons. Now, we have a By-Law which was enacted in the infancy of this Association, and must be presumed to be the best consensus of opinion of the intelligent gentlemen who formed that By-Law; therefore, to overturn a thing of that kind in an institution of gentlemen like this, there must be some solid and dangerous reason for its perpetuation. I have heard none from my distinguished friend. If he had any and failed to disclose it, it is unfair and does not entitle him to recognition. I mean that pleasantly, sir. The only reason that my friend has given is that he wants to make this a democratic institution. I want that, too. Now, the By-Law as it stands, bestows power upon the President, who knows every man of eminence in this Bar Association or in the State. We are not a great federal union; we are a social institution, a close corporation of friends and brethren. The power is placed in the President to choose these men, supposedly from the five grand divisions of the State. He does it. Who dares to say that any man that ever occupied the position that you do has improperly manipulated that position or will dare do it? (Applause.) I don't like in any discussion to ever deal in anything that has a tendency of a scarecrow, but I do say that if any man so far forgets the rights of the gentlemen of the different sections that exist in this great

State, he will be unquestionably rebuked and reduced to ranks. And there is a provision and a summary one left in that very By-Law, democratic to the core; and if that committee which the President appoints should abuse its power (using that strong phrase and slang) by log-rolling, then this Association can absolutely ignore the appointments of the committee and elect whom they please to the distinguished places. Now, then, my friend wants to make a democracy out of it. He wants to make five different democracies out of this Bar Association. Some of us live in the mountains, one-third of the distance almost across this continent, and I have seen the day when there was but one man here from my own mountains. Now, that would be a pretty state of affairs, Mr. President, that that gentleman should step out into a private room, consult his conscience, and go up to my friend in Richmond, who generally sends a number of distinguished representatives here, and say, "I would like for Jonathan Jones to be President of this Association. I only lack one more man and Jonathan Jones goes . on the bench." If that is not the place for private log-rolling, I know nothing about the working of human nature. Instead of coming directly from the President, who appoints distinguished gentlemen from the five grand divisions of the State, there has got to be a suggestion through these five small armies in a caucus, and then somebody is nominated for President. With what kind of grace can the five grand divisions of this State rise before this Association and want to repudiate the caucus which they have had? Now, sir, where is the reason for this? This By-Law was formulated, I say, as the best consensus of opinion at the start. The gentleman should give me a reason better than the democracy which he suggests. There is nothing in the comparison which he makes with the National Association, where no man, however extensive his knowledge may be, can know the eminent men from each state in the Union. I say it is a dangerous innovation; it is iconoclastic; and for the first time in the number of years that I have been here with this Bar Association have I seen danger ahead, and for the first time, except in official duty, have I ever been upon this floor.

Judge Henson: I was not here when the resolution was offered. Going back over the list of Presidents and officers of this Association and members of the Executive Committee, I don't think that they could have been improved upon in the past, and I don't think we have any evil to complain of. I think it has been the very best that could possibly have been done, and I don't think any of the officers could have been improved on from the beginning to the end. It is a very good plan, and I have always acted on it, when we have no evil to complain of, and a proposition comes up to make a change, when we have had no opportunity to study it, to vote against it; and I don't think we have any evil to complain of, and for that reason I think we ought to vote against it.

Mr. S. S. P. Patteson: Judge Graham seems to be very much alarmed about log-rolling. I have been on political committees, and my observation is that, if you have the chairman of the committee to do the appointing, you could have a lot of log-rolling that you could not have as a member of the committee. Now, I don't think that there has ever been any logrolling in here, but I want to say that there can be less logrolling done under the amendment suggested by me than by a President who was disposed to log-roll. How can a man who wanted to log-roll tell who is going to be in attendance? There are over four hundred members of the Association. How could he know who would be here from the Southwest (except he might count on Judge Graham), or how could he know who would be here from Tidewater or other sections of the State? Therefore, he couldn't log-roll; there would be no opportunity to log-roll. The only man who could log-roll would be the President. I think the more democratic we can make our organization, notwithstanding the great regard I have for Judge Wallace and his views, the better the Association will be. There might be log-rolling done even the way Judge Wallace suggested. He might put me on the committee. I am just telling you what might be done. Of course I appreciate your putting me on the committee, and I approve of what the committees have heretofore done, but I really think the amendment offered by

me will tend to make the Association free from log-rolling, because you can't log-roll with anybody when you don't know who he is or where he comes from. When we get here and meet the members of the committee will only know each other after they have been appointed. I say that much and say there is no such desire, but exactly the opposite.

The vote was taken on the motion to lay the proposed amendment to the By-Laws on the table. A division was called for, and the President announced the vote, Ayes 29; Noes 18.

The President: There will now be announced the committees for the ensuing year. I would ask the members to remain until after that is over, so that one or two announcements may be made.

The Secretary: I am going to take the liberty of making some announcements before I read the list of committees, for fear we can't hold the crowd after we get through. One is that there will be a photograph taken of the members of the Association immediately after adjournment. It was so ordered, but the rain may possibly interfere with that to some extent. Another announcement I wish to make is that tickets to the banquet tonight can be had of the Secretary by all members of the Association who have registered, and I wish to ask them to come forward after the meeting and secure them.

Mr. A. W. Patterson: I wish to supplement Mr. Minor's notice in connection with the banquet by saying that we are expected to meet tonight in the lobby of the hotel at a quarter to eight o'clock and march in a body to the dining room, where arrangements will be made for your entertainment. Better try and be prompt and get to the banquet at eight o'clock, so we will have ample time.

The Secretary: There will be no admission except by ticket. You have got to get a ticket from me when you pay your

money.

Judge A. A. Phlegar: Before the Secretary reads the committees for the ensuing year I desire to call the attention of those named on those committees to the fact that the Constitution or By-Laws require that each committee shall elect its own chairman; therefore, I would suggest that the members of the committees meet sometime during the afternoon and organize. If they do not, there will be no opportunity for a meeting hereafter and the committees can't do their work.

The Secretary: As Secretary, I shall ask the person first named on the committee to take upon himself the calling of that committee to order sometime this afternoon for organization.

The Secretary then read the list of committees for the ensuing year.

(See list at end of Minutes.)

Judge A. A. Phlegar: The Secretary has called my attention to the fact that there is a special committee on the John Marshall Residence. I don't know whether it is in my province to appoint that committee, but, to save any question about it, I will just move that this body continue the existing committee.

The President: You have heard the motion of Judge Phlegar, that this body continue the existing committee on the John Marshall Residence. I suppose that is a kind of thing that must have a consistent purpose, and it would be a good idea to 'continue it for some years.

Carried.

The President: Is there any further business before the Association?

Col. Stickley I want to ask the Committee on Admissions to meet here immediately after adjournment for organization. That is the best time to do it, while we are in here.