210 Urdahl—The Present Fee System in the United States. 
The existence of any regular development, or evolution, in 
the views of the supreme and other courts, may perhaps be 
called in question by men who emphasize the purely legal as¬ 
pect of court decisions; but a study of the cases from an his¬ 
torical point of view, seems to reveal very clearly the changes 
which have been outlined. 
CHAPTER VIII. 
THE FEE SYSTEM AS A SOCIAL FORCE. 
The opinion seems to be prevalent that social forces are so 
very cumbersome and unwieldy that it is well-nigh impossible 
to influence or effect them. Color is lent to the idea by the 
enormous amount of social energy which often has to be ex¬ 
pended to secure a comparatively insignificant reform. It must 
be remembered, however, that many of the so-called social re¬ 
forms are simply attempts at rolling a stone up hill, with ex¬ 
ceedingly crude or unsuitable instruments. Oftentimes, too, 
the momentum which it has acquired it its downward course 
must be counteracted. But if taken at the critical point, if 
the golden opportunity is seized by the legislator, the social 
reformer, or statesman, the social forces may be guided and are 
as susceptible of human influence as the most delicate clock¬ 
work. Scientific research is gradually bringing to light new 
methods of guiding and restraining the forces which appear to 
be working injury to society. But before any attempt is made 
to regulate or restrain any activity, it is necessary to determine 
exactly what its bearings are. This is the first question which 
a social science has to solve. Why is the influence of an insti¬ 
tution bad? Is it because the whole institution is of itself 
vicious, or is it because some safeguard or check has been neg¬ 
lected? Studies of this kind often show the vast importance of 
comparatively insignificant details. A very innocent-looking 
provision in a law may result in vice, crime, and other disast¬ 
rous consequences. A slight change in the conditions affecting 
