New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-12-20
REcEIrERsHIps AND POLITICIANS.

Mr. William J. Youngs who for two years has
done Governor Roosevelt the honor TO steer him
through the mazcs of practical politics, is just
row a subject of interest as n not too hopeful
candidate for any office which Governor Oden
may be kind enough to give him, or any re-
ownership which may be sent his way by the
politicians who make lists for judicial patron
age. That Mr.. Youngs's services to the poll
ticlans have been dexteTous and assiduous no
body can deny. AS a defender of party interests
in State contracts he seems to possess the high
est testimonials and references, and ii is easy
10 understand the disappointment of himself
and his sponsors that he did not few days ago
obtain a valuable receivership which it was
supposed he was to have. 1t is also easy to
understand how the person appointed. who is
an otficeholder with ambitions, should find it
convenient to decline his appointment since the
official preference OF the party has been made
known.
Justice Maddox apparently has not been fully
educated up TO his duties as a dispenser of pat
ronage. When he gave to another man the
place wanted by Mr.. Youngs Senator Plat took
occasion TO say that ii had been understood that
Mr.. Youags was 10 have that receivership. We
do not suppose that meant that he had any dis
tinct arrangement with the Justice on the sub
ject. Indeed, he evidently did not have. What
we suppose it meant was that the political circle
had picked out this fat receivership as meat for
Mr. Youngs, and assumed as a matter of course
that the right inhered in them TO settle the
question, and that any reasonable Justice of
Republican antecedents would without question
ratify their choice.
The unconcealed disappointment over the in
dependent action of the Justice clearly reveals
the judicial patronage system. the existence of
oh,
Mr.. Croker, who frankly declared that judges
owed debt 10 the organization putting them
forward, and drove from the bench the Judge
who failed to ratify his nominations for places
in the gift of the Court. Mr.. Moss tried to probe
this subject during the Nazet investigation, but
nobody could he found who ever heard of party
managers having a list of suitable persons for
judicial favor. Yet 1t is perfectly we'll known in
the inner circle of politics that such lists are
made that men have been told their names were
on the list by political leaders for whom they
had done some service, and that suddenly their
great merits as receivers and referees obtained
recognition from the courts. But a finger can
never be put ION any particular case and it is
only through chance disappointment over a
judges not doing what he is expected to do that
the machines ever reveal their system. The
surprise at the exception is all that is required
TO provesthe rule
1t needs no argument to show that this is an
abuse The secrecy of the system, the care
generally taken to convey these hints of what
the politicians want to honorable judges who
would not for an instant tolerate dctation or
consciously lend themselves to a scheme of
spoils distribution, is confession enough of its
character 1t is time that judges and people
alike bestirred themselves to free the bench
from this insidiOus pressure. the logical outcome
of which is the Croker policy as manifested
toward Justice DAILY. The courts should resent
the understanding" that they will do certain
things and should be on their guard against
giving spoils to men 10 whom their cases
are prematurely apportioned by political com
binations.