The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-12
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Editorial Opinions ofthe Leading Journals
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JUDGES IN PHILADELPHIA.

At the recent election in Philadelphia there
were three judgesbips to be filed. Two of
the successful candidates were elected by de-
cided maiorities. The third, though Of the
same party, came pretty near being defeated,
for the reason that he was considered by
many people to be not exactly tit man for
the position. How far this opinion was cor
rect we are unable to say, and the greater
part of our readers would care very little to
know. The point to which we are calling
attention is, that the opinion existed, and
that it produced the effect we have stated.
And the case is still more worthy of notice
from the circumstance that what diminished
the vote for the individual in question was
not the idea that he was grossly unfit for the
judgeship. The feeling was not that he
would be bribed if elected, or that he would
disgrace .the Bench by notorious incompe-
tency. All the difficulty was that some of the
voters thought-whether justly or unjustly is
not now to the purpose-that his abilities
and previous history did not fully come up to
the mark of what ought to be demanded in
the case of candidate for the judiciary.
The inhabitants of the Quaker City, if they
have not of late years sent a reasonable pro-
portion of rascals to the State Legislature,
and been burdened with a respectable num-
Der of plunderers in their municipal offices.
have most certainly been making rem arka-
BILE fuss about nothing. AS the population
of that locality are generally of a tranquil
disposition, and by no means fond of creating
disturbance, wes have no doubt that their
complaints are not without a good deal of
reason. But, however this may be, there is
one department which the Philadelphiaus
have never given up to political rings. To
whatever degree dishonest and unprincipled
individuals may have worked themselves into
other positions, the judiciary is unscsthed,
and there is quiet determination among the
people to keep it SO, which even the con-
trollers of party nominations do not dare to
defy.
There is occasionally considerable grum-
bling in Philadelphia by Democrats at Re-
publican judges, or by Republicans at Demo-
cratic judges, on the ground of alleged
leaning towards one side or the other in ques-
tions connected with elections or other po-
litical affairs. That such charges should be
made is natural enough; and that some of
them might be true, even with judges of the
very highest character, would be in no way
improbable. But, apart from cases involving
political questions, the character of the Judi
clary of Philadelphia is unimpeached and
unimpeachable. The idea of suspecting a
Judge of corruption, of being under the
influence of any specializing clique or CON-
blnatlon, is one which never on any occasion
enters the head of q Philadelphian. To his
jnexperience and innocence the yery
suggestion of the thought would be shock
ing. In the peaceful and happy city of mar
ble door-steps and white window shutters
where he and his father and grandfather were
born, he has no recollection of any such
charges ever having been made against a
Judge, and he is certain that if made and ex-
tensively believed, an investigation would
take place which would either result in the
Judges acquittal of the accusations, or in his
being obliged to vacate his seat on the bench.
Indeed, he is pretty sure-though he remem-
bers no instance in point-that the Judge
himself would either demand such an investi-
cation, or else at once resign. To him, the
word Judge" is as suggestive of honesty
and impartiality as the mention of Fairmount
is of hydrant water.
There is one thing about this subject of
judges in Philadelphia which is rather puz-
zling. 1t is the question why the people
there, seeing that they are 80 particular
about having good men for the Judiciary,
and SO successful in obtaining them, have
lively into other things. Why, in other
words, do they so uniformly elect suit
able men to the bench, and so frequently
choose notoriously unfit individuals for
the Legislature and the city Offices? There
is an apparent Inconsistency in this which
we are at loss to explain. A teacher of
long experience once remarked that he
Olleu tudI uS got OF the
lazy boys in his school, some of the indus
trious ones became lazy. The measures, he
said, which were used to urge the indolent
pupils forward, were found to have operated
as a needful Indictment in keeping a portion
of the more studious up to their work. If, on
a similar principle, the Philadelphians have
an idea that the hammering at dishonest and
incompetent officials in other departments is
useful stimulus in preventing the present
high character of their judges from being
impaired, perhaps there may be
something like philosophy in it. Human
nature is weak in the best of men. and little
stirring up of the conscience
once in while is very well, even in the case
OF men in whom there is no apparent reason
for it. But whatever may be the cause of
the phenomenon we have mentioned we must
sincerely congratulate the Philadelphians
upon the fact that they have kept their Judi
ciary pure. However much may depend upon
the character of men in other public situa-
tions, there are probably no positions in our
Government which, all things considered, SO
intimately affect the interests and the welfare
of all classes, rich and poor, as those held by
the Judges.
THE LATE ELECTIONS AND THE OTJT-
LOOK FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENCY.
Pom the NJ Y. Herald.
The late electiOns-East, West, and South
have established several important facts in
rafaranna N tha nayt praSi6anax, ..A.I-