New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-23
THE STOo1.PIGEON BUSINESS.


Mr. Francis NJ. Scott. in letter accepting the
County Democracy nomination for Justice OF
the Supreme Court. furnishes an object-lesson
for voters who have not yet learned the County
Democracv's reason for being. 1t is not pleas
ant to contemplate Mr.. Scott as the loglcal re-
suit of an elective judiciary. 1t is bad enough
to have a candidate for the bench OF the Su-
preme Court making an exhibition OF simple
craftsmanship in his letter of acceptance III Is
not considered either dignifed or decent and
amid all the nastiness of our Dollhouse politics
we have been able to say that it was at least
unusual Under the elective system no doubt
great many candidates for the Supreme bench
have been nominated and some have been
elected who were active politicians and not
scrupulous as to methods They did not change
their nature or their habits, perhaps, but there
are very few instances in which the simple TACT
that they were named for judicial office did
not impose upon them a certain sense OF pro
priety or regard for appearances which forbade
appeals to partisanship. Thus much we have
been so far fortunate enough to save out of the
general mud dump. If we have elected our
Judges as Democrats or Republicans, as we
doubtless have upon occasions, simply because
at least done it without making parade of it
in shame-faced consciousness that it was in
congruous and grotesque.
But here comes Mr.. Francis NJ. Scott with "a
letter of acceptance of nomination for the
Supreme Court bench in which he talks poll
tics" and nothing but politics and the lowest
order OF politics at that. He gives the reason
why he has "with reluctance" decided to ac-
cent the nomination. Is it because of his ap-
probation of the honor of being selected for
that high place? Or because of the opportunity
it offers for making for himself name and
career of which he and his descendants may
be proud? Or because it opens the way to a
positiOn of the highest trust and responsibility
in which he can render the most useful service
70 his fellow citizens and the State? Not at
all. He accepts "because," as he says, " be-
lieved that crisis could be averted only by my
consent to become a candidate.' Crisis? What
crisis? Is Justice anywhere in such straits that
Francis NJ Scott is the sole hope for its re-
establishment? Is any great cause imperilled
that only he can save? Is the public peace
threatened? Or social order? Or popular lib
erty? Not at all. The crisis is-hear him state
it-"I am firmly convinced that the public in
State ticket, and that the result can only be
secured by the cooperation of all Democratic
organizations" That is Mr.. SCOTS crisis"
Because the public interests demand the election
of Roswell Flower for Governor, Mr.. Francis
VI. Scott is going to run for Justice of the SUI
preme Court Think of it moment as an in
telectual and moral spectacle It's a crisis"
Well. how is Mr.. Francis NJ. Scott going to
help in this crisis? Is it by the great per-
sona popularity he will bring to the ticket
headed by Mr.. Flower? Is this great act of
reluctance and self-Sacrifce on Mr.. SCOTS part
done with the view TO supplement Roswell
Flowers strength with his own? Well, not
exactly. Hear how he states it: "To per-
nit Tammany Hall to stand before the people
as the only representative of Democracy in this
city would inevitably drive away from the sup
port Of the State ticket many Democrats who
cannot and will not support local candidates
nominated by and representing Tammany Hail."
Accordingly, "YOur nomination Of an indie
pendent ticket will therefore at once aid in the
election of the Democratic State ticket" That
is to say, if indeed it does not carry its own
Interpretation, "a great many AntiTammany
Democrats are honest in their hostility to Tam
many, and since the State Convention have be-
come so disguised with its arrogance and "a
pacity that there is danger of their refusing to
support Tammanys State ticket. In this
crisis / consent with reluctance to act as
stOol-pigeOn and run as an Anti Tammany can
didate for Justice of the Supreme Court"
This sort of tactics is not new. We have be-
fore pointed out that the chief business, as well
as the only means of support of the Anti-Tam-
many County Democracy is to play the Tam
many game But it must be said that it was
reserved for Francis NJ. Scott in entering upon
the stOOl-pigeon business to put around his own
neck the label, 81 am only decoy."
The new organ of Tammany, "The New
York Times" was evidently a little surprised
at first at the embarrassing candor with which
Mr.. Scott announced his mission, but upon re-
Election pronounceS it in solemn column ian
entirely satisfactory statement" OF course.