Bar Association. I believe the lawyers all agree they are for the best interests of the people and of the lawyers.

Now, the American Bar Association has taken on a new lease of life. Last year there were more than four thousand members added and quite a number came from Tennessee, but Tennessee has not the numerical representation it should have. Just before the meeting last year, we had an hundred and forty members, and there were about thirty or forty more added from Tennessee. There are no less than seven hundred and fifty lawyers in Tennessee that ought to be members of the American Bar Association, and I hope those present who are not members, will consider it.

I want to say, I have recently sent in the names of about twenty-eight lawyers from Tennessee, and I very much hope that number will be doubled a good many times. The next meeting of the Association is to be at Washington, on the 21st of October. Mr. Taft is the president of the Association, and we will doubtless have a splendid meeting. Judge Sanford is one of the principal officers from Tennessee; he is a member of the General Council. Our friend, Mr. Biggs, who is now so ill in Memphis, is a member of the executive committee.

I want to state to you that we have every reason to believe there will be a large representation of Tennessee lawyers at the next meeting. There are only two qualifications, first, that you shall be in good standing; second, that you shall have been at the bar five years; five dollars dues and no initiation fee, and the book of reports you get, is worth far more than your annual dues. I hope every member here who are not members will allow me to present their names for membership.

Mr. Chambliss:-I understand, under the rule of the Bar Association, the Central Council controls the time and place of meeting. I ask unanimous consent, however, to make this statement. You recall, for some years it was the custom to meet at Lookout Mountain, and it was an ideal place, at the Inn. But some years ago the Inn was destroyed by fire, and for some years there has been no suitable place in our vicinity. I want to inform the Association that recently, nearly a million dollars has been spent in developing Signal Mountain, which is on the other side of the river from Lookout Mountain, and some three

hundred feet higher and some four miles beyond Chattanooga and it is four miles from any church or school house-just beyond the four mile limit. Judge Anderson asked me particularly about this. We have erected a magnificent hotel, and with a very appropriate assembly hall. I think it would be a very delightful change for the Association next year to go to that spot. It is reached from Chattanooga by trolley line in about twenty-five minutes, and I think the members of the Association from North, East, South and West-hardly the South, possibly, but South from here, would all enjoy a visit. over there. We used to have, as I recall, something like two hundred members at the meetings at Lookout Mountain. I believe it would be of advantage to give them a place even more attractive than Nashville, and that is saying a great deal.

President Keeble:-I believe we have reached the election of officers, and I will declare the nominations for president in order.

Mr. St. John:-I believe, under the custom of the Bar Association, the president goes to East Tennessee this time, and I wish to place in nomination a gentleman who lives in Bristol, who is one of the younger members of the Association, has been very faithful and has attended every meeting, I believe, since he has been a member; a young man of splendid ability, good address and who has as much pride in his profession as any lawyer in the State of Tennessee, and I may say of him further, that I believe he will devote as much energy and give it as much attention and do as much as any man in Tennessee to make a success of the Bar Association. I take pleasure in presenting the name of Mr. Harry H. Shelton for president.

Mr. Anderson :-I desire to second the nomination and add, that in addition to the other qualities that he possesses, that as a Tangoist or Turkey-Trotter, he cannot be excelled. I saw him last night.

Moved and seconded and carried, that nominations be closed and the secretary be directed to cast the entire vote of the members present for Mr. Harry H. Shelton, for president, which was done, and he was declared unanimously elected.

Mr. Shelton-Mr. President and Gentlemen: I deny as a fact that I am the best Tangoist in the United States, but I

would say, if it were not for a little woman up in East Tennessee, who thinks another occasion is entitled to be the happiest occasion of my life, that this is the happiest moment in my life, but I am afraid to say that. But I want you all to understand that I appreciate the honor just conferred. It has been an ambition of mine, I think it should be of every member of this Association, at some time to be president of it. It has come much earlier in my life than I even hoped it would come. I sincerely thank you.

A. W. Chambliss, of Chattanooga, was nominated for VicePresident for East Tennessee. F. M. Bass, of Nashville, was nominated as Vice-President from Middle Tennessee, and L. P. Miles, of Memphis, was nominated as Vice-President for West Tennessee. Upon motion duly seconded and unanimously passed, the Secretary was instructed to cast the entire vote of the Association for the above named gentlemen, which was accordingly done.

Mr. E. E. Barthell, of Nashville, placed in nomination Chas. H. Smith, of Knoxville, as Secretary and Treasurer of the Association, which motion was duly seconded and upon a vote, Mr. Smith was unanimously elected Secretary and Treasurer of the Association.

Upon motion duly seconded and passed, Messrs. John Bell Keeble, of Nashville, Judge C. J. St. John, of Bristol, and Judge Ewin L. Davis, of Tullahoma, were unanimously elected delegates to the next meeting of the American Bar Association to be held in Washington, D. C., and Judge S. F. Wilson, of Nashville, Hon. Geo. T. Hughes, of Columbia, and Hon. John H. Frantz, of Knoxville, were unanimously elected as alternate delegates to the American Bar Association.

President Shelton was thereupon escorted to the Chair and took charge of the meeting.

Mr. Judd:-Mr. President, I was delighted to hear you say, that though a young lawyer and a young member, that you took a peculiar pride in your profession, and barring the time you led to the altar your beautiful wife, you regard this as the happiest hour of your life. As one of the original projectors and charter members of this Association, permit me to say you have in your aspirations my deepest sympathies and that

the success of this Association will depend more largely upon you than you now know, when you come to organize and get ready for the next meeting. You will be reminded of a fact that you are president of an Association that contains the brains. and the driving powers of the social system of Tennessee.

President Shelton:-I certainly thank you for your kindness and good wishes and will do my best to discharge my duties with all my ability.

Meeting thereupon adjourned, sine die.

CONSTITUTION.

ARTICLE I.

OBJECTS.

The objects of the Association are to foster legal science, maintain the honor and dignity of the profession of law, to cultivate professional ethics and social intercourse among its members, and to promote improvements in the law and the modes of its administration.

ARTICLE II.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS.

All nominations for membership shall be made by the Local Council of a county or Bar Association when such Local Council or Bar Association exists; when there is no such Local Council or Bar Association in any county, nominations for such county shall be made by the Central Council. All nominations thus made or approved shall be reported by the council to the Association, and all whose names are reported thereupon. become members of the Association; provided, that if any member demands a vote upon any name thus reported the Association shall thereupon vote thereon by ballot. Five negative votes shall be sufficient to defeat any election for membership. But interim, the Central Council, upon recommendation of any Local Council, shall have the power to elect applicants to membership.

ARTICLE III.

MEMBERSHIP.

Any person shall be eligible to membership in this Association who shall be a member of the bar of this State, in good standing, and who shall also be nominated as herein provided.

ARTICLE IV.

OFFICERS.

The officers of this Association shall consist of one President, three Vice-Presidents, a Secretary and Treasurer, a Central Council, who shall be the Board of Directors, under the charter, to be chosen by this Association. One of the members of the