cal organizations in the entire State of Washington -I was permitted to play a slide trombone. They also professed to suppose I had some managerial ability and they made me the business manager of the band, which position, I am happy to say, I held with marked distinction for some seven or eight years. During that time we had a German professor located with us, and the way he could play instruments was something beautiful to behold and more gracious to hear. There was nothing that he could not play and play well. Unfortunately, he had the habit of imbibing, and in those days Wenatchee was not so dry as it is at the present time. He had a glorious wife, faithful then and I suppose and hope faithful even unto death. She watched him like a mother would watch her babe, but occasionally he would break away and whenever he did he returned to the bosom of his family in an inebriated condition, and then things were not as pleasant as they should be, and invariably after that he would come to me and insist that I immediately procure for him a divorce. Well, I always managed to stave the old fellow off until he had been to the office six or seven times, sending him back home usually in a fairly good humor but this time he was very insistent, so I started out to tell him something: "Now," I said, "if you will cut out this booze business and attend to your other affairs, you and your wife will not have the slightest difficulty." He had always stood for that kind of talk before, promising he he would follow my advice, but this time he revolted. He retorted: "Mr. Reeves, don't you try to lecture me. I speak seven languages; you only speak one and you speak it damn poor, and, also if you can't practice law any better than you can play that damn trombone, you couldn't get a divorce from a cow." (Laughter.) So whenever I am speaking to men I know to be able to "speak six or seven languages" and who are more proficient in the law than I ever hope to be, you will understand that I am in the same relative situation I was with my German friend. But the Chelan Bar welcomes you with all its heart, with all its soul and with all its strength, and with sincere hope that when you leave here to return to your respective homes you will have the same kindly feeling for the bar that I know you have in coming. Each member of the Chelan County Bar wears one of these white ribbons, emblematical of the condition of the town. We know many things that may be you think we do not know, and all you have to do, when you want enlightenment on any of the mysteries, is to follow the advice printed on the badge, "Ask Me," meaning any member of the local bar. Mr. President: The response in behalf of the Bar Association will be made by Mr. L. B. Stedman, of Seattle. Mr. Stedman: Mr. President; Members of the Bar Association: I do not know why I should have been selected to respond to the welcomes we have received when there are so many silver-tongued orators before me who could so much better respond, but you will pardon my paraphrasing a verse which I deem appropriate to the occasion: "These severe afflictions not from the ground arise, But oftimes celestial benedictions assume a dark disguise." And, in addressing lawyers, I know I am speaking to men well trained in patience. It was well expressed by a verse of wooing written to his sweetheart by a middle-aged member of the bar: "Come, wed with me lady. You need not fear strife, For since I have borne with courts all my life, The Devil can't ruffle my temper, I'll swear, I was pleased to listen to the words of welcome from the Mayor and from the genial President of the Chelan County Bar Association, and it reminded me, very forcibly, of my first meeting. I was glad to know that he meant what he said in welcoming us here. Our first meeting occurred some twenty years ago almost, when he was on the other side of a lawsuit before Judge Martin and he finished me with such quick dispatch, and he didn't have to take off his coat to do it, that I was glad to get the first evening train, and I am sure that you who have measured swords with the vigorous and able men of this bar have had a like experience. In fact, it has been unanimous in my experience. Those of you who were in Seattle a year ago will remember that on the first evening of our meeting our committee provided a vaudeville and boxing entertainment followed by a buffet luncheon at the bar of the court of liquidation, and the first serious article on the program the next morning was "First Aid to the Injured." While none of us needed that aid, I am glad to see, from the program that we have for this meeting, that the Wenatchee entertainment committee has not run any such risk, and I believe that the dance which is provided will be circumspect, even from the point of view of such old-fogy onlookers as some of us will be, but if they indulge in the new dances which are now so popular in polite society, I think some of us old men will be terribly shocked. We are glad to come to Wenatchee and we appreciate greatly the splendid program and entertainment that has been provided for us, but we should warn those who have so laboriously prepared papers to read before us that, while our by-laws provide injunction of all recommendations congratulatory, We they do not bar severe and carping criticism. are glad to notice the growth of Wenatchee and to see the signs of prosperity all around and we believe it was probably on account of the conditions in Wenatchee as compared with conditions elsewhere that the committee decided to hold this meeting at Wenatchee, because I hardly know of any other bar that could afford to entertain visitors. "We have come to meet judges so wise and so grand That we shake in our shoes while they're shaking our hand." We have come to gain benefit from the papers and the discussion of papers that will be read, but, more especially, we have come to meet our brothers in the practice of our chosen profession and to make new and renew old acquaintances, so that the dry practice of law may hereafter be more happy and enjoyable to all. (Applause.) Mr. President: The next order of business will be the report of the Secretary. SECRETARY'S REPORT To Washington State Bar Association: Gentlemen: As Secretary, I hereby submit my report for the period commencing July 1, 1913, and ending June 30, 1914: Number of members more than two years in arrears in dues 188 Financial Statement Collection since last report Expenses, 1913-14: 1913 Printing: July 10, Blankenship & Lee, programs and cir- August 5, P. L. Allen, programs October 1, Blankenship & Lee, programs and $ 11.50 17.50 $1,351.00 October 1, Blankenship & Lee, letter heads and envelopes 24.50 October 11, Lowman & Hanford, Half-tone print of President 25.00 1914 Printing: February 20, Republic Herald, letterheads for 6.50 March 20, Effenbee Publishing Co., Proceedings 674.16 29.30 June 5, Blankenship & Lee, circular letter... 11.50 27.00 Mr. President: If there are no objections the report will be ordered filed. The Treasurer's Report. Mr. Secretary: Mr. President, I have the Treasurer's Report here. I did not include in this report the collections made for the portrait fund, which amounts at this time to about six hundred dollars. I intended to have here a special report, which I had made out, but I do not find it. |