as the

the American Bar Association, for membership in said Bureau from June 1, 1913, to June 1, 1915. As a result of the membership of the Bar Association of Tennessee in the Bureau of Comparative Law, we have heretofore received each year ten copies of the report of the Bureau of Comparative Law, issued once a year. Recently the American Bar Association has begun the publication of what is known as American Bar Association Journal, which is issued quarterly, and the reports of the Bureau of Comparative Law are now included in this quarterly publication of the American Bar Association Journal. I am not advised as to whether this affects the membership of the Bar Association of Tennessee in the Bureau of Comparative Law or its obligation to pay $15.00 each year for membership dues, but I believe the question of continuing our membership in this Bureau at the expense of $15.00 a year, should be considered. If we are to continue our membership, then I suggest that the Association should specify to whom these ten copies of the Bureau of Comparative Law should be furnished. I have heretofore exercised my own discretion in distributing these reports among some of the officers of the Association, but so far as I have observed, no part of the contents of these reports have ever been mentioned or discussed in the meetings of the Association for the benefit of the membership at large. I invite the Association to specify to whom these ten copies of the Bureau of Comparative Law shall be furnished as representatives of the Association, in the event it is decided to continue membership in the Bureau of Comparative Law.

I am sure that the former Presidents of the Bar Association of Tennessee, as well as the incumbent of that office who is presiding over this meeting, will bear me out in the statement that the attendance at our annual meetings would no doubt be largely increased if all of the judges and chancellors would adjourn their courts for the annual meeting of the Association a few days in advance of the meeting. I have received this year, as in past years, numerous letters from members of the Association, saying that they had intended to be present at the annual meeting of the Association, but are prevented from attending because some court in which they have business will be in ses

sion at the time of the meeting. My information is that frequently the judges agree to adjourn their courts for the particular days during which the Association is in session, and others leave it to the members of the Bar as to whether or not court shall or shall not adjourn for the meeting of the Association. And still other courts agree that the cases of any lawyer desiring to attend the meeting will be passed or continued. I am sure that the judges and chancellors, as well as the members of the Association, have the interests of the Association very much at heart, and yet I think it must be conceded that the lack of uniformity in the adjournment of the courts, makes the attendance of members of the Association more or less uncertain and often times encourages lawyers to remain away from the annual meetings where their presence is so much needed. To my mind, however, the Constitution of the Bar Association of Tennessee is primarily responsible for this condition because Article 12 of the Constitution upon the subject of meetings of the Associa tion provides that: "The Association shall meet annually at such time and place as the Central Council may select." From my intimate connection with the affairs of the Association I have become convinced that the Association should meet annually at a fixed time, and at such place as the Central Council may select, and that all of the courts of the State should adjourn for the week during which the meetings of the Association are held. I therefore trust that this meeting will consider the matter of amending our Constitution and By-Laws with a view of correcting this condition. Respectfully submitted,

CHAS. H. SMITH,
Secretary.

The President: The Central Council will audit and approve the Secretary's report so far as the financial report is concerned. Is there any discussion of the two suggestions, one for a specified time for holding the meetings of the Association, and the other as continuing memberships in the bureau?

Mr. Wray: I move that we discontinue this membership, and that the constitution, which I understand can be amended by having a two-thirds vote, be amended, and that a day for the next meeting be set at this time.

Judge Higgins: I wish to speak in opposition to that. It

was my pleasure to read one of these periodicals and I found it intensely interesting, and I hope it will not be discontinued.

These matters were then discussed at length by Mr. Metcalf, Mr. Swaney, the Secretary, Mr. Wray, Judge Higgins and Mr. Burch.

Judge Higgins: I move that we do not discontinue, but that the American Bar Association Journals be distributed, and that the President appoint a committee to distribute them. I make the motion that we retain the subscription and that a committee be appointed to distribute these ten copies.

Mr. Burch: Possibly, we should get the ten copies and send one to each member of the Supreme Court, and any judge who gets a copy and is already a member of the American Bar Association, he can then deliver it to another party.

Judge Higgins: As I am a member of the Court, I will withdraw my motion and let you make one.

The President: I think the question should come up on the original motion, you have heard the motion to discontinue. The last copy sent was in French, and I could not read it.

Mr. Burch: It occurred to me that the Judges of the Courts are in better position to have a copy or two sent to some one else, than a committee, and I make that as a motion.

The President: Is there a second to the motion in lieu? Motion is seconded.

The matter is then further discussed by Mr. Chambliss.

The original question was then called for.

The President: All in favor of discontinuing the member

ship in the Bureau, say Aye.

Upon the vote, the motion was lost.

Mr. Wray: I move that the constitution be so amended that the date of the next meeting can be set.

This question was then discussed by Mr. Myers.

The President: Any further discussion? I make the suggestion that before this matter is finally submitted that it should be reduced to writing and the motion put in definite shape, so that the resolution will properly appear in the minutes, and we want to consider what time would best suit the convenience of the Bar.

The President: I think it would be better if we could ask

the Court and get their assistance during the week. Take a man, for instance, who lives in Bristol or Memphis. If we have the meeting on Thursday, we have to leave home on Wednesday, and should we have to try a case on Wednesday, then we should miss the first day, and if we cannot be there on the first day, it is likely we would not come at all. I would like to hear from different members of the bar.

The question was then discussed at length by Mr. Swaney and Mr. Acklen.

Mr. Acklen: I will offer this resolution, which I will ask the Secretary to read.

"Be it resolved, That Article 12 of the Constitution of the Bar Association of Tennessee be amended by striking out the first sentence thereof, which reads as follows: 'The Association shall meet annually at such time and place as the Central Council may select, and those present at such meeting shall constitute a quorum,' and by inserting in lieu thereof the following: "The Association shall meet annually during the week beginning on the third Monday in June, at such place as the Central Council may select, and those present at such meeting shall constitute a quorum.'

Mr. Acklen: Can I get a second to that motion?

Mr. Carter: I offer this in lieu: "Resolved, That Article 12 of the Constitution of this Association be and the same is hereby amended so as to fix a definite date and place of meeting of said Association, which shall be on the second Monday in August of each and every year at Chattanooga, and continue in session not exceeding three days, and that all the courts be requested to adjourn during that time in order that the members of the Bar may attend."

The question was further discussed by Mr. Farrell.

A Member: I want to offer this amendment to the resolution of Col. Acklen, so as to make it read that the time be fixed as the third Thursday and Friday of June. I am opposed to fixing the place. I think personally very favorably of Signal Mountain as a permanent place, but I do not think it should be done geographically.

Mr. Acklen: I accept the amendment.

The question was then further discussed by Mr. Mills, Mr. Miner, Mr. L. D. Smith and others.

The President: I will read the motion of Colonel Acklen. (Reads motion).

This motion was then put before the Association and upon vote was lost.

The President: The next order of business is the report of the Committee on Publication. Mr. Douglass is not here, but I suppose the committee will pass the report in.

The President: The next order of business is the report of the Committee on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar, by the Hon. Robert Burrows:

Mr. Burrows: The report is very short.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL EDUCATION AND ADMISSION TO THE BAR.

The Tennessee Bar Association:

The Committee on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar has little to report. Since the creation of the Board of Law Examiners ten years ago, gradual progress has been made along the line of requiring a higher standard of education and legal knowledge for admission to the Bar in Tennessee. There has also been a successful effort to raise the standard of morals, of manhood, among those seeking the privilege of practicing law. The examiners have been vigilant in this regard and not a few, otherwise entitled to practice law, have been denied that right because not up to the standard in moral character.

Three years ago this committee recommended, and this Association adopted a resolution asking the State Supreme Court to amend the rules for the government of the Board of Law Examiners by requiring that applicants for law license shall have attended a law school for a period of two years, or shall have studied continuously for that length of time in the office of some reputable lawyer. Your committee is not advised as to whether or not this action of the Association was ever brought to the attention of the Supreme Court. At any rate the rule suggested has never been adopted by the Court. The committee. therefore, recommends that the proposed rule be brought to