Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-28
DECIDING ON JUDGES
Proves to Be Very Difficult Task,
Even for the Lawyers.
OPPOSITION TO THE SCHEME,
And Threatened Disruption Of the 0rganiza-
tion Recently Formed.
A CHARGE OF PRACTICAL POLITICS

The organization of Allegheny county
lawyers formed recently to suggest suitable
candidates from its own membership for
places on the county, State or national
benches, is Just now threatened with dis
ruption The first effort at endorsement of
candidates has proven a failure, and
it is alleged by many attorneys
that the whole arrangement is
scheme that has, to some extent at least.
fallen into the hands of professional
politicians. 1t is claimed that of the
members of the committee having the affair
in charge there is but one reliable Republi-
can. This, it is claimed, gives unfair repre-
sentation, and it is now asserted that the or
ganization will be dissolved before another
effort at Endorsement is made.
When the association was formed few
weeks ago, one of the rules adopted for its
government provided that the votes cast
for the various candidates should be held
as an inviolable secret, and that under no
condition should there be any wire pulling
or political practices allowed.
Result of the First Ballot.
The total number of votes cast for Su-
preme Judge was 259, of which one candi-
date had 155, another 95 and another 9. The
last name was, therefore, dropped from
the second ballot under the rules. The
total number of votes cast for Judge of the
Common Pleas was 24S, of which number
E. H. Stowe had pa, scattering 4. A ma
jority in number of the members of the
bar not having voted for Judge Stowe
another ballot is necessary under the rules.
Tickets for the second ballot were dis
tributed Yesterday and the voting will close
at 10 A. II. March 4, if there be any voting.
''The whole scheme, if carried out fairly
and honestly would no doubt bring out a
free and full expression of the preferences
of the lawyers for tine various candidates for
Judge" a prominent attorney said yes
terday, 'but low down politics are allowed
to creep into the system and the organiza-
tion cannot stand. For instance, in the re-
cent contest paper was circulated solicit
ing signatures to petition in favor of one
of the candidates and these signatures 1
have been informed are counted as votes
That of course does not reflect the real senti-
ment of the lawyers and does not mean any
thing.
The Rule Of Secrecy Violated.
"Besides, it was understood and was pro-
vided for by rule that the workings of the
scheme should be secret, vet there has
been no secrecy about the first ballot taken.
The vote each candidate received has been
announced by means of circular, and is
being used as an argument in favor of the
candidate receiving the highest number of
votes.
''All this is political jobbery, and indi-
Gates to my mind that the promoters of the
scheme are actuated by selfish motives and
are prompted by disappointment. Many
lawyers have therefore decided to have
nothing to do with the scheme, and great
majority of them have decided not to recog-
nize the organization by casting their votes
for either of the candidates