The independent., 1905-12-07
Current Comment on Leading Topics
JEROME AGAIN TALKING

JEROME AGAIN TALKING
District Attorney Jerome has severely crit
cised the judges of the New York supreme cour
On the ground that they are Influenced in thei
decisions by corporations to whom they ow
their election or from whom they have receives
Iayors He suggests as remedy that the Judge
be appointed for life. How this would cure tn
evil he does not explain Our federal judges ar
appointed for life and only the ignorant or preju
diced would assert that the United States court
are free from the influences OF corporate wealth
Mr.. Jerome said in part:
With but few exceptions | have very
little reverence or respect for the judges OF
the supreme court in this department.
What we ought to have is the Massachusetts
system, where judges are appointed for life.
Go to Massachusetts and get into cOnversa-
tion with members of the bar, and they will
say that this case should not be taken be-
fore this or that judge Why? Because he
has certain peculiar ideas as to the applica-
ton of a certain law. Go over to the bar
association in this city, and If you know the
men you meet well enough and they are in
clined to talk they will say that they dare
not take this or that case before certain
judge because he was assessed SO much for
his nomination and borrowed 1t from this
corporation or that or that certain Judge
is mixed up in this or another commercial
transaction. 1t is known that certain mem
bers of the judiciary to which | have refer
ence retain their interests in commercial
and other business matters and transactions
while they sit on the bench. Every day that
passes over their heads is filled with i'm
minent peril-peril of scandal that seems
about to break because of these affiliations.
Those who heard these words must have
thought instantly of one of the supreme court
judges now on the bench, whose name has
been conspicuous in the testimony at one
of the sessions of the insurance investigating
committee The elective system in recruit
ing the judiciary is democratic, but it can
never produce the most exemplary judges,
unless the political parties are elevated and
pure in their management. On the other
hand, of course, judges appointed by an ex-
ecutive who is the mere tool of bosses may
fall far short of the ideal-Springfeld Re-
publican.
Mr.. Jerome should either name the
judges whose practices make them unfit to
sit upon the bench or he should retract his
charges.-NeW York World
IL the judges are such as he describes
they should be removed from the bench and
our courts purified If under the smooth
surface of dignity and responsibility our
judiciary is rotten and given to the render
ing of unjust decisions and the use of power
to safeguard wrong, by all means let the truth
be known II is the time for general Judi
cary house-cleanng. But unless he X ows
that of which he speaks and is prepared to
follow up his charge Mr.. Jerome has done
great wrong. He has not only weakened
the peoples faith in their tribunals, but he
has subjected honorable men to suspicion
New York Tribune.
District Attorney Jerome has said too
much or done too little. III the justices Of
the supreme court In the First judicial depart