New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-07
NEV CITY MAGISTRATES

Mayor Strong's appointment Of Police Magis-
trates and Judges of Special Sessions yesterday
marks the beginning of new order in depart
ment Of the city government most urgently III
need of reform. None Of the other evils winch
rammanv inflicted on the people Of this city
compared in atrociiy with those perpctratcd I'M
der pretcnce of administering Justice. When the
politicians robbed the city they inflicted injury
on men Of all conditions; when they failed to do
the work expected Of them in making the town
n safe and pleasant place OF residence they
wronged alike rich and poor who had to use the
streets and breathe filth-ladcn air; when they
protected crime and fattened on its proceeds they
brought shame TO every citizen who had TO &C
knowledge this city as his home; but when they
used the courts Of Justice where they came
closest to the mass Of poor people. who through
poyerty and ignorance are least able 10 defend
. their rights. as instruments Of oppression and
extortIon. they showed a cruelty SO heartless
that beside ii their thefts seemed harmless &c
centrcites their Matchmaking a rather respect
able trade The Police Courts were the fountains
of Justice for many who knew TO law but what
they found there Their persons and property
were at the mercy Of the petty magistrates. The
sDcctacle Of these courts conducted for the bene-
fit Of criminals with political influence did more
10 promote lawlessness than the whole Police
force could do 10 suppress 1t; did more 10 make
the poor immigrant so oppressed contemptuous
Of the institutions Of his adopted country than
all that education could do toward making him
q good citizen A corrupt court Is an institution
Of incalculable influence for evil and the poorer,
more ignorant and more vicious the people so
dealt with the greater is the harm
With the new magistrates comes the promise
Of even handed justice to those who need II most.
The new judges are welcome. first Of all. because
Of the men whom they displace. We have
groanc1 so long under the aiiiiction OF Tamnany
administered law that. without stopping 10 in
uuire what the change IS, we should be re1oiccd
at any change But the men appointed by Mayor
Strong are equally welcome on their own ac-
count Their previous records guarantee an hon
est and able conduct Of Special Sessions and Of
the Police Courts, and the melting out Of Impair
tia justice to all the people. The appointments
will inevitably be criticised. With pa applica-
| lions for fourteen offices OF necessity there are
many disappolntmcnls. Every candidate and
the friends Of every candidate will be sure 10
think that better selection might have been
| made No matter what fourteen had been picked
| out the result would have been the same No
| list could be madc which many people would not
| think could have been improved. Mayor Strong
| has made his appointments after prolonged de
| liberation; he has been aided by the advice Of
| lawyers Of high rcputc: he has been broad mind
ed enough in dealing with the subject to continue
| under the new system two justices whose fight
| against the prevailing corruption Of the old won
| his approval and in his selection he has appar-
emily allowed himself to fall under the exclusive
| influence Of no body Of men. There will be. Of
| course many dsappontmens, but the scvcrcst
| critics Of the new justices cannot reasonably
complain Of their personal or professional char
| accr.
That is, after ALL the important point. The
object of lesslating out Of office the Tammany
Judges was to secure purified bench not TO OBJ
tain spells for any man or party. 1t matters
little 10 the people Of this city who draw Judges
| salaries Rut whether or not they are 10 have
their rights adudicatcd fairly. their property
protected from The greed Of politicians. their
personal safety guaranteed. that matters much.
| The new magistrates promise them the long
, wishod-for Justice which shall not be a mere
| travcsiy Of the name. The progress Of reform
may seem slow Int II Is none the less real and
valuable when from the corruption which we
| endured II brings us In six months not only a
clean Police force and clean streets but, best of
| all, clean and honest courts.