New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-18

JUDICIAL CAMPAIGNS.
Seventeen Justices Of the Supreme Court are
T. he elected in this State next fall Twelve OF
them are to fill Offices created by the new Con
stitution and five are to succeed men whose
terms expire After this year the Supreme
Court will consist Of scvcnty-six members. ana
this numerous body Of new Justices Will nave
great influence in determining its future stand
ing Men Of high character. legal atiainmenis
and judicial temperament are needed Tor me
hench and they should be selected without re-
gard TO the effect which such selection may have
ON the fortunes Of candidates for political offices
Neither partisan nor factional politics has any
Mace in the Supreme Court. and campaigns for
judicial office may not properly or decently De
carried ON aftc- the methods in vogue among
what are known as practical POLITICIANS Al
ready we hear Of men in the field seeking dele
gates TO the judicial conventions Of their re-
speciive parties in the different districts. ana
there arc r1lmors afoat of plots and countcrplots
by which legislative candidate in one county
is to combine with 4 Judicial candidate IN an
other county and make a trade for their mutual
benefit From other districts comes word mat
the party states are fixed. and that neither the
bar nor the people are 10 decide VINO shlll po
their Judges. but the question has been settled
la, no,,.irians with a view TO the success or
,boir own schemes in other directions If these
reports are true. and judicial nominations ana
elections in his State are hereafter TO be- mere
incidents Of political struggle TO be won by IN"
host wirepullcr. the most liberal contributor -
campaicn funds. or he favoric Of party bosses
then II becomes a serious question If the ConS'
tufonol Convention did not make mistake in
leaving the Supreme Court thus to have lis
dignity degraded.
The character Of our judges has been and *
for the most part high. They have hitherto
justified the wisdom OF tho Constitution of 1916
which substituted an elective for an appoihtlVe
judiciary. But the fact is not To be denied mat
with the last few years has come decided de-
teroration in the standard of proprie'y IN Inc
conduct Of judicial campaigns In most OF he
judicial districts one party or he other l. largely
dominant. and under ordinary conditions ~
domination is equivalent 10 an election - CON
tests have centred about primaries AM conNrh-
lions In some Of these campaigns Tor Judge
ships recently methods have been employed
/ which would shame any but the most merc'nary
politicians Persons OF comparatively Slight
reputation AT the bar have been broush; forward
by favor Of party machines 10 oppose lawyers
Of high standing. favored by their professional
associates Money has been poured into doubt
full precincts 10 buy votes, the saloon has been
made a centre Of influence. the corruptlhlr 'l"-
/ lnrnt in the opposite party has been drawn upon
/ 10 pack caucuscS combinations have been mace
and delegates tied mp months In advance 81
nominations and in the end the sharp pOliiiclah
has won while The lawyer who believed III con
Quoting judicial campaign with Inc dignity
b.ftting thr Office at stake has been lcfi 10 con
Time his private practice. The old-timn judicial
contest was characterized by dccorum when
did much 10 maintain the dignity Of the court.
When a candidate for judge visits saloons IKE
an Alderman to advance his campaign 1t Is nara
aftprwarl to respect his decisions Formerly
leading LAWYERS announced frankly their can
djdacy and left the rest TO the Judgment OF their
profession Conventions were largely guided by
the opinions Of the bar. and m"asuraby al least
considerations OF fitness, not oil service as
manipulation Of party machinery. dci"rmlnr eau
cuscs The result was Il court honor"l every
where. Of a character 50 high that is traditions
have In general made respectable judges ont ~
logrolng politicians when they have succeeded
in getting on the bench.
But that tradition will not last forever in spite
Of locrong If the dignity ana purity OF the
court are 10 be maintained dccorum must he
observed in the selection Of judges Political
/ combinations and the Of money 10 obtain
judicial nomination are themselves offences
which ought TO make a candidates success I'M
possible in n convention and more impossible at
the polls Two or three times within few years
the people have arisen and defeated unworthy
candidates put up hv the locally dominant party.
which was IN some places Democratic ana III
others Republican. Nobody suffered from those
rcbukcs but the candidates whom the people re-
iecfel and the selfish SrhcmcrS who hoped 10
profit by their success. The good judges, ~
whatever party. have had no politics on The
bench, and party which would Try to elect
bad Judge for the sake Of obtaining decisions
with political bias. by that act would confess
itself unworthy Of the confidence Of decent men
II Is time for the voters Of this state 10 demand
that judicial campaigns he conducted with hon
esty and dignity. that these Offices be not made
pawns In the game Of politics, and that the
methods Of machine politicians be not allowed
in the name Of any party TO put unworthy men
on the bench