New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-22
EEpURIIcAN SURPOG4TE.

II
The Republicans of New-YOrk cannot afford
to throw away their present opportunity to
elect q lawyer of the highest ability and in
tcgrity as Surrogate of this county for the
next six years. There is no probability that
the decision of The General Term, that SurrO
gate Calyin's term expires with this year, will
be reversed in the Court Of Appeals, if it
should be carried there. And the acceptance
by Mr.. Calvin of the Tammany nomination is
practical withdrawal by him from his former
claim that his successor could not be chosen
until next year. He is in the field as the
Tammany candidate for Surrogate for the next
six years and if he is defeated he cannot
with any grace go before the courts to assert
his claim to the office for the year 1882.
With a good candidate there seems to be no
reason why the Republicans should not defeat
Mr.. Calvin and the candidate of the County
Democracy, who is to be named this evening
in place of Mr. jackson. Evidently Mr. jack
son has no fancy for losing fight, and pre-
fers to keep his money in his pocket rather
than to pay heavy political assessment for
barren nomination. Mr. Calvin is likely to run
ahead Of his ticket and the other Democratic
candidate, unless he is man of much differ
ent stamp from Mr.. jackson, is sure to run
behind his Hence the two Democratic nOmi-
nees NAV divide the vote of their party pretty
evenly. In tits division lies the Republican
opportunity. But even with divided De-
nocracy the Republican choice must be
judiciOus and careful 70 be successful.
Mr.. Calvin has done much worthy of
commcndltion, but it viii not be hard to fird
Republican lawyer who will command the
confidence Of the bar and the community as
FULLY as he can. There is no other local judicial
position that needs to be iilled with such care
The harm that poor Judge in one Of the
other courts can do is lessened by the fact
that cases in which his weaknesses are most
likely to display themselves can generally be
brought by sLilful lawyers before other courts
or other judges of the same court. But all the
probate and administration matters of this
county must 20 through the Surro-
upon by this one judge, regardless of the pre-
JUDGES that may spring from his religion, his
social position, or his relations to the persons
interested. 1t is true also that this Court is
assuming n great and rapidly increasing i'm
pJrtancc, both from the size Of the estates
that pass through it and from their number.
The contests over the wills of Commodore
Vanderbilt, 4. T. Stewart Samuel Wood, Mrs
Merrill and of other miiOlares give evil
dcncc of this. A prudent and conservative
business man may pride himself on never hav-
ing had a lawsuit; but none the less his estate
must 20 through the Probate Court at his death,
with the chances in favor Of a contest over it
if he has thought best to discriminate
against any of his relatives in his will. 1t is,
comparatively speaking, small part Of the
community that has direct interest IN the adj
miuistration of justice in the other courts
every man with dollar of property is con-
ccrned to know that mt his death what he
leaves shall be distributed by fair-minded
and capable Probate Judge.
There are among the Republican lawyers of
the city many men fitted by their attainments
and character for such an Office, any one of
whom, if elected Surrogate, could raise that
Office to it's proper standard BY far the larger
number of lawyers of the first rank in this city
are Republicans and the want of fit man
cannot afford al excuse in such a case As this
for the nomination of poor one. Let us have
a Surrogate whom all men will honor.