The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-10
A Good Judge to Keep.
From the Ne,v York Tribune.

From the Eetc York Tribune.
One OF the Justices Of tho Supreme Court whose
term expires this year 10 willard Bartlett. Already
the politicians ara beginning to discuss the succession.
Justice Bartlett, having been originally elected a. q
Democrat. Il Ia assumed that the Republican Conven.
ton OF the Second Judicial district win refuse to sup.
port him for reelection and name q partisan candi.
date. while word comes from Brooklyn that a body
OF the regular Democrats there will oppose his re.
nomination. partly because he 10 not O free silver man,
largely because he II not In sympathy with ring poll.
tics. Such planning and discussion arc usual in such
lease. A seat on the Supreme bench does not fall va.
cant without awaking desires to occupy Il. These de.
sires arc perfectly honorable. and we do not mean to
fmTly that any candidate might not properly gain his
ambition and be entitled to the support Of his politi.
cal friends when we say that both parties would do
well to select az Willard B%artletts successor willard
Bartlett himself.
Justice Bartlett has served fourteen Year, in tho
Supreme Court. and Is now an Appellate Judge.
Though q gold Democrat In his political analiatious,
no Republican ever had cause to question his fairness,
either in the determination OF cases or in the distribu.
t'on or such work "a Judges assign TO members OF the
bar. In cases Of o political character. such % the old
water-scandal litigation. he has shown himself abso-
iutely free from partisan bias. It may be con.
coded that he lacks some Of the elements OF
personal popularity. He Is precise. nervous, and
somewhat severe In manner. But we do not
elect Judges because they arc hailfellow.well.mes
nor because they will DO lenient with careless law
practice. Justice Bartlett has worthily and ably
administered Justice and he has properly upheld tho
dignity Of the bench. In the Appellate division his
experience IL needed. and his personal equation In.
terferes with ~nobody's case. His service has made
him Q better and more useful Judge than any new
man would be likely to be.
II has come to be moro and more o custom-and We
think q good custom-for both parties in this State TO
unite In retaining on tho bench o Judge OF tried ca.
pacity. regardless Of his party anil .tions when nss
elected. We regret. and last fall expressed our re.
gret, that peculiar circumstances prevented the re-
election at that time BY common agreement Justices
Brown and Clement; not because we In the least
fall to appreciate the character or ability Of their
successors. but because We feel that able and
honest Judges should not be lightly displaced.
The Same view governs the present opinion that
the Republican party might wisely renominate
Justice Bartlett. II II does. tho Democrats will hnd
II useless to attempt to put some silver rtngster on
the bench. Politics should not be encouraged to In
terfere with the Judiciary. A Judge should not be
taught that his chance for reelection depends on his
remaining an active partiSan and earning q renom.
ination from his own party leaders, since fairness
will not earn the other partys friendship. When the
Judges OF the State OF New York arc permitted by
public opinion to use the Judges chamber for tho
management Of primaries and tho planning Of cam.
paigns, our courts will be in need OF revision. Hap
PLY. the majority OF our Judges are free from such
ambition. and they should DO permitted to remain 90.