public measures and movements that occupy the attention of the State.

Moreover, the character, culture and equipment of the individual members as representatives of the legal profession, have been marked from year to year in a steady upward progress, until now they will compare favorably with the Associations of any of the States. We have no disposition to boast, or indulge in self-flattery that has not a substantial basis in truth, but we feel justified in saying that the address delivered at this meeting by the President of the Association, Hon. John W. Davis, has not been excelled in ability, finish and appropriateness by any address that has been heard in any other bar association in the year 1906, or in any other year. That was a State paper equal in dignity, in statesmanship, in perspicuity, and in breadth of conception of the interesting topic, "The Growth of the Commerce Clause of the Constitution," to any that has eminated from any source. We are proud to add that paper to the literature of the Association, and we doubt not that there will be a large demand for it as a practical and able elucidation of the many features of that subject which are now occupying the attention of our government.

We cannot attempt, at this writing any comprehensive review of the work of the recent session, but in view of the fact that THE BAR will not contain, this year, a stenographic report of the procedings, we will endeavor to give here a general summary of the work. In explanation of the reason for not publishing the proceedings as usual, it may be well to say that the only reason that has heretofore existed for publishing this report first in THE BAR and afterward in pamphlet form, was the long delay that has attended the publication of the pamph

After discussing this matter the Executive Council has concluded that there is no real reason for this delay except the convenience of the printer who takes the contract, and that the man who gets the contract this year must take it on a thirty day condition, or he will not get it. So that members may ex

pect to get the complete report in pamphlet form about the first of February, or about as soon as they would get it ordinarily through this journal, and the extra expense of printing two reports of the proceedings is thus avoided.

The annual address of ex-Governor Montague. of Virginia. was an interesting and instructive one, on an entirely new topic-which was a review of the work of the Pan-American Congress, of which Governor Montague was a member. It was not the character of address that the Association was expecting, but it was not by any means a disappointment. Governor Montague is an interesting speaker on any topic, and his address held the attention of the Association throughout its delivery. It was reported by the stenographer of the Association and will be published in full.

A paper that had aroused the expectations of the Association was that on "Habits and Costumes of Bench and Bar," by P. J. Crogan, of Preston, but it arrived too late, and its author did not arrive at all. But it will keep until next year, and Mr. Crogan will also keep his engagement-better than this time.

Mr. John L. Cooper, of Parkersburg, presented a valuable paper on "Direct Nominating Primaries," which subject, by the way, seemed to be receiving more general attention from members than any other. In fact, there is a profound convic tion among members of the bar, as among other thoughtful classes of our people, that the election laws need a thorough overhauling.

The Legislative Committee presented a formal bill on this subject, which was recommended to the Legislature. The same committee had also prepared a bill on the subject of preserving and otherwise conserving our natural gas supply. This was an interesting subject, but the time of the Association did not admit of its proper consideration.

Mr. Ambler, from the Committee on Judicial Administration and Legal Reform, made some valuable recommendations, among which was one for the relief of the Court of Appeals, which resulted in the adoption of a recommendation for a con

stitutional amendment providing two additional members of that Court.

A suggestion of this report looking to the abolition of the "special judge" feature of our Circuit Courts, drew out a protracted discussion, disclosing a variety of views, which finally left that feature undisturbed.

The report of the Committee on Legal Education, by Dr. Brooke, emphasized the necessity of making an educational requirement of candidates for admission to practice law, and a resolution was adopted to that effect.

Col. White's report of the Committee on Legal Biography disclosed the ravages of time upon the membership of the Association in the past year-an unusual number being gathered in by the "grim reaper."

The long delayed report of the special committee on the Toorren's Land System was presented in the form of a complete bill for the inauguration of this system. It was very evident that the members of the Association had not given the subject that consideration which would lead them willingly to endorse the measure, but, in this uncertain attitude, were more inclined to urge points of opposition. It is curious, too, that this opposition was principally directed to two matters that they consider good arguments against its adoption, while those who support the measure believe they are the chief arguments in favor of it, viz: That our land titles are in a very complicated and confused condition, and therefore the Torren's System is not applicable to the situation; and secondly, the cost of the new system.

We had supposed that the prime benefit to be derived from introducing the Torren's system would be to straighten out the complications and confusion of the existing system, and thus give every title to real estate a certain and marketable value that would not only enhance its value to the owner from 25 to 50 per cent, but would invite foreign capital to develop it.

As to the cost of introducing the system, it can be shown by

demonstration in other states that the average cost of register. ing a title and forever quieting that title, would be less than the average cost of a single transfer of that title under the present system, or of negotiating a loan on it. It is to get rid of this perpetual and prohibitory cost in the present system that the Torren's system was devised.

Nevertheless the Torren's System, or any other system, that promises relief from the intolerable and blighting influence of the existing system, must, in the natural order of things, pass through the same testing ordeal, that even the most unpromising system would meet; but it will come with time and patience. It must come. It is the most essential measure in its general purpose, that concers the prosperity and development of the State.

It was not on the program, but late in the proceedings of the session, Col. John T. McGraw came forward with a very attractive proposition, presented in his most attractive and persuasive style. That was for the Association to undertake to preserve from oblivion the memory of the eminent members of the Bench and Bar of Western Virginia. In other words, that the lives and works of these distinguished men, who have honored their profession in this State in years agone, be gathered into a volume or volumes, and that the work be continued to include those who are still on the scene of action and shall come hereafter to deserve a place in these chronicles.

The proposition as received with much favor, and a plan adopted to inaugurate the work in the immediate future.

This commentary on the work of the twenty-first session would be incomplete without at least a passing reference to the annual banquet, the closing event of the social features of the meeting.

It was simply supurb. It was characterized by a spontaneous flush of good fellowship from start to finish. It needed no spur or guiding spirit-it ran away from all provisions to this end, and made its own program. Before the tactful toastmaster. Col. Gaines, could get hold of the reins, an entirely original

and improvised "song service," which was the best thing on the boards, had taken jurisdiction. With this introduction, the regular toasts, which were first-class in every instance, fell into place and everybody was in a mood to enjoy them. One funny incident of the banquet, was the effort of the banquet committee to put put itself in the attitude of a temperance reform committee, and place the responsibility for the appearance of wines on the menu on the chairman of the Executive Council. This was funny to anybody who knew the banquet committee, but it was not the funniest feature of it. It appeared by correspondence which they read that they had deceived the Executive Council, by intimating that they were providing a rare treat in the form of pheasants, venison, bear and many other rarities, and would not need wine. Whereupon the chairman of the Executive Council fell into the trap and wrote them that the Association had always been accustomed to have wine at the banquets, and would probably be disappointed without it. But the hugest joke of the whole matter was the continued attempt of the banquet committee to masquerade as a temperance organization at the banquet itself, while their glasses were being replenished by the waiters at over frequent intervals.

Now we would not have any casual reader infer from this reference to the subject of wine at the banquet that the West Vir ginia Bar Association has not self poise enough to admit of the use of wine at its banquets. The members of the legal profession in this State are, we believe, as temperate in their habits as any other class of our population. We would be sorry to believe that they could not sit down together and take a social glass of wine without any breach of propriety or ungentlemanly indulgence. The essential feature in a lawyer's education is self-control, and he depreciates not only himself, but his profession when he fails to manifest it. There are always declensions among every class of men from the highest ideals of their class, but none is more conspicuous and inexcusable than a