The sun., 1903-05-13
JUDGES SHOULD KEEP OUT.
BAR ASSOCIATION CONDEMNS
CORPORATE PLACE HOLDING.
Declares II Incompatible with judicial
Dignity and Independence TO Ho'd
Important Places In Private C0rpor'
atiOns--Se,eral Judges Aimed ~.

atiOns-Seyeral Judges Aimed A.
The Bar Association EXPRESSED itself I'M
equivocally against the acceptance OF offices
in corporations by Judges, at last evenings 3
meeting. The resolution vcicing the as
sociation's feeling on this subject, which
was thrust forward as subject for public
discussion by the appearance of Justic @
Van Brunt q name as an officer OF thn Wind
sor Trust Company at the beginning Of
the year, went through with great ap-
plause In the speeches other Judges be-
sides Justice Van Brunt were referred to,
but neither his nar,s ncr any other was
mentioned
A terser statement than the report pre-
sented by the Judiciary Committee was
adopted. The committee reported that
it was not without doubt whether the
association should pronounce any opinion
since the Judges were not answerable TO
the association unless they were member
of 1t, but we're answerablc only to courts
Of Impeachment or to the Legislature for
disregard Of their legal duties.
SIN advance of some concrete oct In dis
rd of Judicial duty the report said
personal non-iudcial transactions OF
Judges would seem to present question
as to the standard of personal cond ct
as to which good men and good Judges
have differed and may differ aud this
ssocia ton has no public authority as q
censor
After saying that Judges would deter
mine their own course Of conduct wlthli
the law end subject to the corrective force
of public opinion the report continued;
This PUBLIC opinion, rs we'll as the general
sense of the bar - in the observation Of the
committee. that Judges shall qualify them
selves to sit in AL cases co'ninE before the
participation in affairs Of business or com
merce.
In principle such ahstenticn would seem
TO be us desirable throughout the country as
in the First Judicial district of New York;
although here. in an unusual degree, hay" de-
a cSn.rarent,1, inIcitant liiitatiens m['n
peculiar solicitude for the absolute disin-
terestedness OF these courts.
course, to be commended and encouraged
and II is most desirable that all concerned
h ca.s h nj een"dt w% IF nN'" n n" "SGa
public opinion, is so doubtful as to be likely
in any degree 10 impair the confidence, which
integrity and impnrtialty of our Judges.
The opinion was signed by. John F Dillon,
Francis Lvnde Stctson, w. T. Ammct,
Henry W Taft, W. b. Homblower, W. f.
Curtis, Hamilton Odell. John d. Herman
ana henry -. ANDERSON.
The committees report was accepted,
but motion to adopt it was voted down.
Subsequently this resolution offered by
Albert Sprague Bard was adopted:
Rcsolred That in the opinion of this asso-
citation it is incompatible with that degree
of dignity and Independence Of the Judiciary
which this association is striving to promote.
that judicial Cfices should be held concur
rently with important positions, whether
actual or honorary, IN privat" corporations
whose affairs are likely to he the frequent
subject of Judicial decision by such judicial
officers or their colleagues.
President William c. Choate was in the
chair Miss Rosaic Loew, whose candi-
dacy for membership in the association
has been announced was not mentioned
by name in the meeting. but the secretary
of the Executive Committee said that
that committee had appointed
committee to confer with the committee
on Admissions with reference to the oues-
ton of admitting women to membership
were elected.
A request from the Committee on Mu-
nicpal Courts and Marshals Of the Citizens
Union for the appointment OF a committee OF
the association to assist in the organization
of the City Marshals was referred to the
Judiciary Committee.
The committee appointed to secure legis-
lation providing for the building of a new
court house vas continued to assist the
commission which Mayor Low is to appoint
under the bill to carry out this project
Memorial minutes to Justices George P.
Andrews and William Rumsey and to Mr.
Samuel Williamson were adopted