The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-01-22
Senator Minturn On Behalf
Of Hudson County Lawyers
Will Fight the Nomina-
ton of the Corporation
Lawyer to the Bench
WHY HE is AN UNFIT JUDGE
WITH HIS ANTECEDENTs AND
. AFFILIATIONS IT IS POSSIBLE
He COULD FAIRLY CONSIDER
A CASE INVOLVING CORPORA
TION INTERESTS
special to 'The Jersey city News.'o

Especial to '"The Jersey City News.')
TRENTON, Jan. %, 1906.-When the
Senate goes into executive session to-
night to consider the batch of nomina-
tions sent to it by Goyerpor Stokes last
week, one of the liveliest battles that has
been fought there for many years is pre-
dicted. Among the nominations was that
of Judge James B. Dill, of East Orange,
poration laws, as member of the Court
of Errors and Appeals to fill the unex-
pired term of Judge Peter Voorhees,, of
Camden, resigned Considerable opposi-
tion has developed to the confirmation of
Judge Dill's appointment, on the ground
that he is too closely allied with eorpo-
ration interests to entitle him to a seat
on the bench of New Jerseys highest
court, and also because he is not a prac-
ticing lawyer in this State. So strong
has this opposition become that it Is now
thought Judge Dilrs nomination may be
rejected.
Prominent lawyers connected with the
Hudson County Bar Association are con-
spicuous in the opposition to Dill. They
have appealed to Senator Minturn to
fight the confirmation with all the sa-
gacity and ability at his command. The
Hudson Senator was told by these law
yers, whose names he will not divulge
until the Senate calls for them, that it
would be disgrace to the State to allow
Judge Dill to occupy a seat in the Court
of Errors and Appeals, as it was largely
through his efforts that corporations
We're allowed to become trusts under
New Jersey laws which he had drafted
and caused to be enacted. These LAW
yers claim that by reason of Judge. Dill's
close relations with these trust corpora
lIuHS he Woulu nc uHAttct " pass JUS
ment upon any case wherein corpora
tion's interests were involved.
Senator Minturn agrees with these
views and he said to-day that when the
judiciary Committee meets tonight to
consider the Governors nominations, he
will interpose an objection to Judge
Dill's nomination and ask the committee
to report it adversely to the Senate. He
will present the reasons aboyes stated for
his action The Judiciary Committee is
composed of Senator Hillery, chairman;
Senators 9Wakelee and Minturn. White
it is known that Senator Hillery is not
enthusiastic over Judge Dill's nominal
tion, yet it is not thought that he will
antagonize the Governor by opposing it.
Mr. Hillery is the administration leader
in the Senate, as he introduced and ad-
Senator will take no decided stand
against Judge Dill's confirmation, but
will cheerfully vote for it.
Senator Wakelee is another PROPOSE
ton that is hard to unravel. Like Sena-
tor Hillery, he is a New Jersey lawyer,
but has a law office in New York. where
he is daily engaged in his practice. His.
home is at Demarest, Bergen County.
Mr.A Wakelee realizes as well as all the
other lawyers in the Senate that there
is strong opposition among New Jersey
lawyers to Judge Dill's confirmation and
that he is expected to oppose the appoint
ment. ! Last year Mr.. Wakelee was rec
ognized as the champion of corporations
in the Senate, as eli introduced and adj
vocated several measures which were
beneficial to their interests. Why he
should now oppose the nomination of a.
man who has done nothing more than to
draft laws in the interests of corpora
tions because members of the Bar have
asked him TO, is not apparent to those
who have studied the Legislature in re-
cent years. The impression prevails
that Mr.. Wakelee will be found among
the Senator's who will advocate Judge
Dills appointments
The nomination will be considered be-
hind locked doors in executive session
and guards will be stationed about to
prevent isaves~dropping, If any newspa-
per correspondent attempts to listen
| while the Senators are discussing the
matter.
1t is understood to-day that If the Sem
| ate should reject Judge DilPs nomina-
! ton, the Governor viii not make another
nomination during this session. but will
reappoint Judge Dill ad interim when a.
/ s.ne die adioQgnEp ant Is takeli,