New-York tribune., 1906-10-17
LAWYERS BEGIN FIGHT
CHOATE OPENS CAMPAIGN
attacks Improper Corporations
asked Votes for Embossed" Judges.


The first meeting of the Judiciary Nominators
to ratlfy their selections for ths Supreme Court
the Court OF General Sessions and Surrogate was
held Cooper Union last night. Joseph H. Choate.
ex-Ambassador to England. who. as chairman OF
the Nominators, had most TO do with the work OF
nominating Embossed" nominees, attacked I'M
proper corporations. and referred several times TO
the main issues Of the campaign. He said none OF
the Norninators attacking opponents
Among those on the platform were Robert W.
De Forest Aucten G. Fox, William D. Guthrie
DR.. Felix Adler Joseph II. Choate, jr, and ex-
Justice William n Cohen. Samuel H. Ordway,
Charles E. Rushmore. Lawrence E. Sexton John
Frankenheimer and Rufus B. Cowtng, all candi-
dates were present
Mr.. Choate caught the audience right away in
his speech He delivered 1t when he started the
meeting presiding officer.
TN the first place. this is non-partisan move
ment and q non-partisan meeting" he said IL
anybody has come here tonight expecting me or
any Of the other speakers who Will follow me TO
abuse any candidate for the office of Governor OF
to eulogize any candidate. he may as well retlre
at once, because he will be doomed to dlsappolht-
ment And the people who behind this move
ment do not mean that it shall be used as d
weapon to advance or to hinder the prospects OF
any candidate for the great office Of Governor.
Mr. Choate then briefly related the work of the
Nominators. the objects, endeavors ana results
and continued
never Occurred before for the citizens to pass their
vote for ten judicial candidates all at once, sst
court, men absolutely qualified and known aS to 3e
qualified for the office to which they may De caNeo
free from all dictation OF partIes'
Mr.. Choate said that although the candidates
were named four months ago one had been able
to attack them, except the ground that some
of them might have been corporation lawyers
Speaking Of the corporation lawyer he said;
candidates ' and the $500 lawyers that nominated
them. Well. don't suppose 1t is posslble Ior Z any
-tise law in this city up TO the age when he Is NJ
not ct some line or other acted for Corporation.
And when the candidates upon the ticket that we
your attention are considered the first thing that
Is discovered about each OF them is that so far as
he is known a lawyer, which Is not saying
much. he is known as corporation lawyer
Mr. Choate then spoke at length regarding cor
porations and said that probably ninety-nlne one
hundredths of them were carried on with perfect
uprightness A few, he said, had oversteppeo the
limits OF the law and the President and the leg1s-
Iative bodies and the courts had brought them to
book and punished them for the trespasses they
had committed. Continuing. he said:
Well. but there are all sorts of corporations. be
which wish particularly TO direct your attention;
because it has been dseoyeTed %lSn1n sn5 hat is
known the Independence League; -,
What the object of It's formation is obvious.
It is corporation formed for the purpose OF con-
not, into some other important officers Of the
been very successful in their corporate organiza-
ton and operation They brought their directors
Hall for the great and sacred office Of Judge.
have heard q great deal Of complaint about cor,
wickedest corporation that ever existed from tho
beginning Of time was this same Tammany Hail.
Mr.. Choate at no time made any mention OF the
endorsing OF Judge Otto Rosalsky by the Repubn-
the voters to vote either under the triangle IN
der the Republican column for the nominators-
Dr. Felix Adler was introduced as the second
speaker. He made an address which caused
thusiasm at some sharp utterances about the judi
ciary.
IT believe in the election OF Judges-but by the
people" he said "I do not believe in the election
or submission Of candidates for the judicial Office
by the parties. 1 not now speaking OF unhossed
Judges I want TO go step further and out the
tie not only between the boss and the judge, but
between the Judge and the party
DR. Adler argued that the party was an instr1-
uaent a tool a good tool for the end Of proposing
and carrying out policies and of electing men who
should carry these policies The Judge, he said
was neither legislator nor executive and the public
had become confused He argued that while tool
might be good for electing legislators and execu-
tives It is not necessary for judges.
Ex-Justice Joseph F. DAILY. who introduced
by Mr.. Choate one of the men who had knocked
Tarnrnany down after shaft had been launched
az him followed with brief speech urging the
suffrage Of the voter for the judiciary ticket.
DR.. David Blausteins or the EDUCATIONAL AIualoes
spoke on behalf OF the immigrant, who. becoming
citizen. desires no boss and wishes Embossed nonal-
nees.
Other speakers were John De Witt Warner and
Cyrus L Sulzberger.
. In spite OF unusually elaborate fireworks and
good band to attract the voters the hall barely
more than half filed when the meeting called
to order a little after o'clock. The audience. how
ever was an undenably intelligent one, and many
women listened attentively TO the speeches.
In the afternoon about three hundred lawyers.
members OF the nominators' committee. met at No
so Wall street outline plans for the campaign
Ex-Judge Alton B. Parker presided. General Ben
tamin F. Tracy a interested listener. but did
not tako part Mr.. Parker made enthusiastic
sLeech urging the members OF the bar to work for
ard elect the nominators' ticket
ut appears TO me-" he said, that unless some
action is taken by the bar 10 place in nomination
men fitted TO fulfil well the judicial positions the
community is in peril We cannot overestirnate the
Importance of defeating incompetent candidates for
judicial offices and the election Of such high
oces such as the judiciary nominators have placed
before the voters Of New York"