New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-28
ELECTING JUDGES AT LARGE.
ONE PROPOSITION OF THE JUDICIARY COM
MISSION OPPOSED.
poss1BIIrrY THAT 1T MIGHT RENDER THE GEN
ERAL TERM JUDGES A PARTISAN BODY
PERILs OF NOMINATION BY STATE
CoNyENTIoNs-A LETTER FROM
MR.. SAXTON.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNR.l


rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUNKl
Albany ~ " Now 27.-Therc Is a vast amount OF
dissatisfaction among the lawyers Of the state over
the work thus far done by the Judiciary COMMISSIONS
What especially meets with disfavor Is 'hc |o"
missions proposition that twenty General Term Judges
be elected upon a State ticket, and that thcy ae.
as members of what may be considered SUBORDINATE
Court OF Appeals. 1t is hardly likely that the he
nubIIcan members of the state Senate will agree 10
this proposition OF the commission, since IL wouia
lead to great loss Of power by the Republican party
in the courts of the State In late years. as every
observer of politics knows, New-fork, except wheh
n President was to be elected, has been Dcmocrauc
state The Republican party has not elected any
State officers in it since 1851, period OF nine years.
When therefore, the suggestion is made by nom
partisan commission that the Republican party shouio
run the risk Of eectng twenty supreme Court Judges
mon State ticket and put aside the present system
Of electing Supreme Court judges in the vari-
OILS judicial districts OF the State, WHICH
secures the election Of some Republican judges one II
apt to suspect that the Republican members oi 'a'
commission were asleep, and the Democratic men'-
bers very wIde-awale, when the suggestoh was
adopted A letter received here to-day irV"
Senator Saxton, addressed to friend, IN Which no
gives some other why this Dranch vi ''o
Judiciary COMMISSIONS work should not be accepted.
Mr.. SaxtOn says: 49,.
Ct am certain that the bench and bar are no'
generally in favor of tampenng with the STRUCTURE y,
our Supreme Court nor do think 1t was contemplated
that the Judiciary Commission should undertake Suoh
a work. The main difficulty to be remedied was "o
inability of the Court Of Appeals to do the work Iu
upon IT, That question and the ones afectms 'uo
New-York City courts (Which, OF course, vert oi'iy
Interesting TO the people OF that city, were, as
supposed TO be considered by the COMMISSION ou'
had no idea that there would be all attempt W aAo
so radical change in the entire Judiciary Ar'cie do
seems TO be contemplated. ,
ain INV Judgment IL is not we'll to elect the General
Term udges on a general State ticket The peopie anu
bar Of n iudicaI district department are far Detr
fitted 70 choose than the electors Oh couuo9 oo
Miles away WHY should the voters OF New-forK elty
vote for residents of any judicial district WHOM eey
know nothing about thereby determining the eecuon
Of udges who are to administer justice 10 'ic poop0
of a faraway district The result would De thae VIC
would probably have judges given TO us whom VIC W
not want, whom large majority Oh .ie ioo"0n.'
would be opposed to. Now, the lawyers vi ca."
,dicia, district at least i'm the country, practcay
choose the Judges They get together, talk over the
merits of the various men, and judges OF good o''a
ter and ample ability are selected thihh .ie gu
preme Court bench has as Its members now SONIC ".
the best lawyers in the State. II the nopnha"oh Vi
tho iudges Is thrown into State convention, De-
lIeve that il would lead to the selection OF men oi ia
less mental cabre than we now possess. In u tn
small judicial districts every lawyers standing az se
bar Is understood. What would stare 9On 1 Iotn
know about such a matterl 1t Is plain also OF late
wears that our state conventions have ceae1 10 DG
delerative bodies they should be and hold SESSIONS
too short TO make careful selection OF candGas
which should be made In the case OF judges. am i
afraid that many times judges would be nominateo III
as the consequence of comparison Of the merits OF
candidates -, /. /, rr,o.ro+ic ,re
vould have under such system all or nearly All
the General Term judges belonging to that party. III
Third and Fourth Judicial Departments large pro
norton OF the voters are Republican IN po,ltlcs why
shoud they have Democratic judges forced upon thcm