In England, where the decisions are comparatively
few, the greatest care is taken to have the reports con-
tain only such decisions as are of real value and to
condense the reports as far as is consistent with a clear
understanding of the facts. The reporters are chosen
by the Bar and feel themselves to be responsible to the
Bar for the quality of the reports. And the greatest
care is taken that the quality is not diminished by reason
of the quantity. The choice of cases and the conden-
sation of the reports is made a matter of careful con-
sideration by well-trained men working together under
well-recognized principles. Our state reporters have
not the advantage of such cooperation, but in what is
known as the Reporter System there is an organization
in which competent men may be trained to work together
upon a definite plan, and the profession has a right to
ask and expect that these reports shall be made in vievjf
of the real purpose of reporting, and that opinions and
parts of opinions that are of no use for that end shall



JURIDICAL REFORM 167

be omitted. If the quality, rather than the quantity,
of the reports is made the primary object, the value
of the reports will be increased and the profession will
be relieved of much useless labor and expense.
