New-York tribune., 1905-11-04
NEED MORE JUSTICES.
F0Cors amendment for Increase on
.Supreme Court Bench.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: A letter signed Member of the Bar Asso-
cfation'' published this morning in one OF the
newspapers of the city, condemning the proposed
constitutional amendment providing for an increase
in the number of Justices Of the Supreme Court
which amendment is to be submitted the people
the coming election. The objections stated IN
the letter twofold: first 20 the fact that the
amendment provides ratio of population to
justice the First and Second departments which
constitute the southern and more populous part
of State another ratio for the rest of the
State which comprises much the greater part of
its territory and is much sparsely populated;
and second that the result OF this amendment
would give the First Department, that is the old
city of New-York. increase of only four Justices
whereas much larger increase Is necessary TO
enable the court in that department properly to
do its work
The letter comedies. as of course every well in
formed person must, that deplora bic condi-
tion exists at present in the First Department and
largely also in the Second from the want of suf-
hcient number OF Justices of the Supreme Court
promptly to transact the business Of that court.
AS the then Senator from the I'D Senatorial Dis
trict. prepared this amendment and originally in
troduced 1t IN the legislature, and have made a.
careful study Of its merits and probable results
When the amendment first framed and in
troduced, 1t provided for single ratio of popula
ton for all parts of the State The representatives
In the legislature of the other departments than
the first and second at objected that in their
departments the territory much larger that
the justices had to spend a great deal of time in
travelling from part of the district another;
and that. therefore, TO the needs the same
population, a greater number of justices
Quired To meet these views it found
sary TO reduce the ratio for those departments and
the same was accordingly reduced to the number
suggested by them II seemed to that the
representatives from that portion of ought
TO understand better its needs than those of us
who game from this part of the State: comprising
the First and Second departments; and that,
their part of the State they were entitled to have
the time, and still think that there much
reason in their views.
Ished this morning, the writer is laboring under
mistake doubtless nadvertent upon his part TIE
crease of only four justices in the First Depart
laton according to the federal census taken in
1 the n No S p1odss pro shsf the ne
federal census or enumeration:" A State enYmera-
Gf u MS Is 81 and popakaon Of the
popGaton in n the First DepaTtment s Of 2ssssas
Ions Pd s t s of I I o6tane n4 0 s
ment permits in the First Department an incTease @
of the population thereof Therefore, the present
at V Of he Court IN the
First Department There are now twenty-five JUS
# 0s he os be sda Sy the
coming election 1t will be competent for the next X
the First Department from twenty-five to thirty
as stated in m the letter rs You'd the
ing of the court S6 pei cent 1t is my belief
based upon careful consideration of the matter,
that eight additional justices at the present time
will be sufficient to remedy the present dePlorapie
condition and to enable the court to transact the
public business but, whether or not such increase
proves to be entirely sufficient, 1t Is sef-eVldent
that IL will afford very great relief 1t is further
self-evident that except through this amendments
no relief whatever can be obtained for several
years 1t therefore manifest that the pubic m
terests require the adoption OF the amendment py
the people. z
ment viii permit of a sufficient immediate increase
Of justices in the Second Department to meet the
The Commission on Laws Delay which was ap-
pointed under legislation enacted in 1907 ana lyN5'
and made its report to the legislature in January,
Ie4 unanimously recommended the adoption by the
people of this amendment. Indeed, that was one
~ fha few recommendations IN which all the mem
hers of the commission concurred. That coInls-
ston as is we'll known composed of most COM
petent and eminent members of the bar. and gave
70 the entire subject the most thorough examlna-
ton. lSAAC IN Mii1i@0
Naw-York Nov. 8. 1906.