The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-04
SEEKING A JUDGE
Gov. Griggs Said to Prefer
a Lawye to Fill Mr..
], s,, ss Dayton's Place.
GEN. RUSHING HAS APPLIED
Supreme Court Clerk Riker Finds
That His Office Is Not
a Sinecure.
rsp.c,., 20 ..rhe Jersey city N.ws."l

Especial 20 ssThe Jersey city Nsws."1
TRENTON, Aug. 4. 1ss7-Goyernor
Griggs is again in his office here. The
principal topic of conversation about the
State House yesterday was the prob
able successor of Hon. William L. Day
ton. as a member of the Court of Errors
ana Appeals. There was a lively scram-
BILE for the place at the time of Judge
Dayton's. selection. and the old fight fer
the seat has been revived. The sue
cessor of Judge Dayton, under the law,
must be a Republican. Already the APP
plication of Genera James F. Rushing, OF
Trenton, has been placed in the hands
of the Governor. General Rushing is a
lawyer, and it seems to be the policy
of Governor Griggs to entirely eliminate
the Law element of the Bench so far tas
is in his power. The Governor has here
tofore experienced considerable trouble
in getting lawyers of standing and repu-
tation to accept a place on the Court OF
Errors and Appeals, because there is at
tached to the office fees amounting to
only $500 or $500 per annum. General RUS
ling was not seriously considered by the
Governor at the time of the appointment
of Mr.. Dayton, although he was backed
Dy q long petltlOl SiSLCu " o P0
ticians. These politicians are again urg-
ing the Governor to consider General
Rushing an applicant for the place
While General Rusling's is the only APP
plication up to this time. there are those
interested in having none but lawyers on
the Court of Errors and Appeals who
are urging the name of Elmer +. Green,
of Trenton, and Frank Bergen, OF Eliza
beth, for the place. Mr.. Bergen is a
young man, and SO is Mr.. Green. Mr..
Bergen made considerable reputation for
himself at the recent session of the Leg
islature in his fight for the adoption OF
the Voorhees, Judiciary Constitutional
amendments. Mr.. Green is a lawyer OF
some reputation and of large means. His
father served upoa the bench. The name
of William H. Corbin, of Elizabeth, has
also been mentioned in connection with
the honor, but it is stated on good au-
thority that Mr.. Corbin would not accept
the place.
The announcement that Mr.. Riker, OF
Newark, had at last concluded to accept
the appointment of clerk of the Supreme
Court in place of Benjamin F. Lee, who
has held the Office with honor for TWEEN
ty-fve years. caused much discussion at
the Capitol yesterday. After Mr.. Riker's
appointment there was considerable doubt
as to his acceptance. The fact is, he la
bored under the impression that the po-
sition was a %sinecure. His intention was
to appear at the State House on Tues
days and allow his deputy to transact
all the business of the Office the remain
der Of the week. But the law is different
now than it used to be, the office being
a salaried one. 5000 being the pay. while
heretofore. as was shown by the Senate
Investigating Committee, the berth was
worth from $25. 900 to $50, 900 a rear. While
the profits of the office have been re-
duced to 5000, the responsibilities OF the
clerk have been greatly increased. For
instance, he must account to the State
Treasurer monthly for every penny de-
manded under the statutes for the filing
of any legal paper of whatsoever charac-
ter. The fee for filing some papers is
as low as four cents, and after November
next the four cents must accompany the
legal document, otherwise the paper cam
not be filed. Should Mr.. Riker conclude
to file any paper he must pay out of his
W pocket to the State Treasurer the
statutory fee. Besides all this the clerk
must sign all searches against pers9ns
in all manner of transactions. Should
he sign a search against John Smith,
showing that there was recorded against
John Smith no liens or Judgment against
the property involved in the transaction
and it afterward developed that there was
q judgment or lien of $4,000 against
Smith, the clerk would be personally lia--
Bile for the $4,000 to the person ordering
the search.
The State and local politicians are
taking a hand in the wage question be-
tween the Potters' National Union of
America and the boss potters. Politicians
justify their course by showing that
the Dingley tariff bill has added from
IS to IS per cent. duty on crockery for
the benefit of the manufacturers, and
that, therefore,, their business being
largely dependent upon the political is
sue, the operatives should forthwith re-
ceive a proportionate share of the bene-
fits of the tariff, thereby giving an OBJ
ject lesson upon their theory that a protec-
tive tariff increases wages. The potters
have demanded an increase of 1914 per
cent. in wages, and have given the manu-
featuring potters just sixty days., from
the rasslng Of fob 5ne n5in ngf Gr,c plll, II N a 1%nlch
ance with their demand. The boss pot
ters do not take kindly to the Interference
OF the p0illlcldHS, Dul l1lSy I'LL tHS JUS
tice of the claim of the operatives and
in all probability will. sooner or later,
acquiesce in the demand.
The sixty-day clause in the demand is
the one drawback to a prompt adjustment
of the controversy. Many of the potterieS
here are filled with ware. and the country
is flooded with English made goods. With
John Hart Brewer, the manufacturing
potter, as Assistant Appraiser at the port
Of New York, the boss potters fully ex-
pect that the Dingley tariff bill will be
carried out to the letter. Heretofore,
what appeared to be a heavy duty on
crockery, was greatly reduced by the
methods of the Custom House officials.
There are numerous grades and the
schedules in the tariff bill fixed g differ,
the duty SO fixed was collected Upon the
bin of iading. The bill Of lading to the
seconds or thirds" and the duty upon
this inferior grade was collected, while,
as a matter of fact, the ware was
"A No. L., Hart Brewer it is expected
will so post the Government officials thar
this little trick will not be worked in the
future.
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