REPORT OF SECRETARY. In the five years that I have been secretary of this organization I have confined my annual reports, generally, to a statistical review of dues collected, members received, &c., and I would not at this time, make a more ambitious effort, if I were not assured, in advance, of the moral support of our esteemed President. However, a few experiences have come in my term of secretaryship that might be related, to the advantage, perhaps, of the Association and its members. This Association has been in existence for about fifteen years and appears to have had in that time three distinct periods or ages. The first five or six years, the years in which the novelty of a new organization, probably, gave enthusiasm to the work, were years of growth and work; it was in those years that the Association started the work which resulted in the adoption of our new Court Rules, the formulation and promulgation of our Code of Ethics, and the establishment of our Board of Law Examiners. The next five years might, perhaps, be termed years of ease. Nothing of importance. appears to have been done; at least, the records do not disclose that any particular work was accomplished. The members of the Association even lagged in the payment of their annual dues, and to such an extent was this true that in 1901 but $39.00 was collected into the treasury of the Association. The Grand Rapids lawyer who said, at that time, that he was one of the ten conscientious fools who consistently paid his annual dues to the Association was nearly right. His class, however, has grown since then, for, for instance, over 500 out of the 577 members paid their dues last year. The mention of dues brings to my mind some of the letters I have received and sent, in regard to these annual payments, and strange as it may sound, some of my pleasantest correspondence has been in relation to this gruesome subject. One member intimated that the annual dues were too small and their insignificance pestered him, and accordingly sent three years' dues in advance; another member on being sent three successive statements, two personal letters, and these timidly followed by a draft,-endorsed on the draft, in the bold hand of the drawee "I never pay drafts;" some wit who evidently knew the gentleman, had started to add "Nor anything else." Another member, thinking that the annual dues were expended upon an annual banquet and good time, said that he wished to withdraw, but upon being told that the annual banquets are, usually, complimentary, and that the annual dues are expended for the printing, publishing and circulating of the proceedings of the Association, the expense of committees and officers, in endeavoring to improve court practice, correct and improve the laws and legislation of our state, and for the benefit of all the lawyers and all the people of the state, he very candidly and gracefully acknowledged that he was mistaken and had been thinking of the Association along more selfish and narrow lines than those that really marked it. In regard to our annual publications, I received one communication from a member saying that he thought it was a waste of money to print our annual reports and circulate them among our members and exchanges; on the other hand, I have received a number of communications asking for our reports, and yesterday, Judge Streeter wrote me from Houghton, saying that he was sorry he could not be here but to be sure to send him a copy of the printed report. Nearly every other state bar association in the country prints an annual report, some of them in quite an elaborate manner, as may be seen by examining the more than one hundred state bar association reports now in the Secretary's office, a list of which is appended to this report. The past five Association years have been fruitful; the committees, officers and members have worked industriously and too much praise cannot be given to those members who as committeemen have so carefully and efficiently carried on their work. In the past five years the Association has been instrumental in enlarging the Supreme Bench from five to eight members, in passing the Negotiable Instruments Law and the Medical Expert Testmony Law, and has given consideraton to many other matters. The finances of the Association are in good condition; all debts are paid and a balance remains in the treasury. The membership, while not as large as it should be, is growing constantly and the members are apparently satisfied with what the officers and committees of the Association have been doing. The Association has not accomplished all that one might hope or dream that it should, but it has done much and the prospects never looked more promising for this Association to be all that a state bar association should be. MEMBERSHIP. Members at date of last report, (June 29, 1905.).. 571 Members Who have been Dropped or have Withdrawn Since Last Meeting. Baker, John F., Flint. Carleton, Grace Haines, Detroit. Marr, Charles H., Wyandott. Pardee, Geo. E., Owosso. Taggart, Hon. Moses, Gd. Rapids. Wilkinson, Ralph B., Detroit. Wood, E. T., Detroit. Yeo, Wm. T., Flint. Younglove, Lyle G., Detroit. Members Who have Removed from Michigan. Bierce, Herbert, Mac O., Winona, Wis., formerly of Detroit. Hartwick, L. M., Orange, Cal., formerly of Hart. Rozema, Martin, Seattle, Wash., formerly of Fremont. Simonson, John E., 215 Cooper Bldg., Denver, Col., formerly of Bay City. Maguire, Arthur D., Detroit. Handy, Sherman T., Sault Ste. Marie. Bulkley, Harry C, Detroit. McCall, R., Ithaca. James, Delbert C., Detroit. June 11, 1906. June 11, 1906. June 11, 1906. June 19, 1906. Titus, Lincoln H., Paw Paw. Galbraith, Wm. J., Calumet. REPORTS, BOOKS, ETC., IN SECRETARY'S OFFICE. American Bar Association..... 1903, 1904 Alabama State Bar Association, Proceedings for years....... 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905 Bar Association for Baltimore City, Constitution and By-Laws. 1902 The Chicago City Bar Association, Proceedings for year...... Indiana Bar Association, Proceedings for years.. 1903 1901, 1902, 1903, 1905 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905 1904, 1905 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905 1904 1902, 1903, 1904 1903, 1904, 1905 1902. 1903, 1904, 1905 1902, 1903. 1904, 1905 1903, 1904, 1905 1904 1885-1902 1900-1902 1902, 1903, 1904 1902, 1903. 1904 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906 1903, 1904, 1905 1901, 1902. 1905 Bar Association for State of Kansas (Address of President, 1902). 1904. 1905 1892-1902 1903, 1904, 1905 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905 1901. 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905 EXCHANGES, OTHER THAN ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATIONS. Iowa State Library, Des Moines, Iowa. Kansas State Library, Topeka, Kas. U. of M. Law Library, Ann Arbor, Mich. Harvard University Law Library, Cambridge, Mass. Hon. Leonard A Jones, 301 Pemberton Bldg., Boston, Mass. 1903, 1904 1901 100 copies 200 copies 25 copies 10 copies 30 copies 5 copies 80 copies WM. J. LANDMAN, Secretary. |