The sun., 1906-02-19
new WJUDlCIALDISTRICT ,0RNO?
ARGUMENTS FOR 1T BY A LAWYER
WHO TAKES AN INTEREST.
He says That There's Really No Political
Question and That the Hudson River
Territory VIII BE Better Content With
Resident Judges to DO Its Business.

Resident Judges to Do Its busIness.
The proposition to make new judicial
district of the five counties along the Hud-
son-weetchester. Duchess, Orange, Put
nam and Rockland, now part of the Second
district, which includes Kings. Nassau,
Queens, Richmond and Suffolk-has dis
turbed politicians in al of the counties of
the judicial district. Those opposed to
the proposition declare it to be part of a deal
between Chairman Odell Of the Republican
State committee and Senator Patrick H.
McCarren, Democratic leader of Kings
county, with William l.. Ward of West
chester Republican national committee
man for the State. in the background. 1t is
now about the only live political topic of
interest discussed in the five Hudson River
counties mentioned. A lawyer Of repute
who has taken an interest in the discussion
said yesterday
.The objections to the creation OF new
judicial district are entirely political, the
opponents of the measure saying that the
Second Judicial district as it is at present
is the more even political balance. The
answer to this is that it il not true, the facts
being: That from ls47 to date there have
only been three years when the present
Second Judicial district has elected any
thing but Democratic Judges, and that in
any one of these three years Republican
Judges would have been elected had West
chester, Putnam, Dutchess. Rockland and
Orange counties been eliminated from the
district, which shows that tidal waves were
responsible for the election and not any
balance in the district whatever.
1T is equally true that twice during the
last fifteen years the five counties. which
would comprise the new Ninth judicial
district. have gone Democratic. showing
that the Democrats in the new Ninth ais-
chance for judicial offices than Republi-
cans ever have had in the old Second dis
trict.
-The proposal to add to the new Ninth
district Queens, Nassau and Suffolk is seri-
ously object ionable for two or three reasons.
If it be said that the proposed district COM
prising the five counties mentioned above
will show too much partisan advantage to
the Republicans. surely the advantage, OF
partisan advantage. Again, never in the
history of the State was there worse gerry.
mander than the present Second judicial
district: which comprises a limb, a heel
and foot without the ankle. If the dis
trict created comprised the additional
counties Of Queens. Suffolk and Nassau
counties the gerrymander would be little
more complete in that it would comprise
limb, no ankle. no heel no foot and only
a few toes.
The proposed new district under the
bills covers a territory comprising $1,000
more population than did the second ju-
dicial district when it was formed in the
year ls47. The cases atissue on the calendar
in the proposed Ninth district at the present
moment are upward Of 2.OOO, over I, 100 alone
being at issue at the present moment in
Westohester county. The calendars of the
entire Second judicial district did not con.
tain this number Of cases until thirty-six
or thirty-seven years ago
1t cannot be called purely a partisan
measure that demands four Judges to do
the business that it required eight Judges
to do in the year 1884.
AT the present time the Kings county
tional amendment the county is entitled to
number Of additional Judges. II they
take the number Of additional Judges there
viii be more men in Kings county to do
the judicial work than there will be in the
new Ninth district to do the judicial work
cases at issue at the present moment.
-The proposal to form the Ninth district
OF contiguous counties is proposal to form
most homogeneous district within the
State. 1t contains more population by
TO- 900 than the Sixth Judicial district in
the State Of New York at the present time,
and as to the business within the district
the ratio Of the cases at issue is about three
to one There are necessities, therefore,
existing for the creation of this district
1T must be borne in mind as to the present
Second Judicial district that for many
years there were three resident Judges
within that part of the district which it is
now proposed to make into the Ninth dis
trict, to wit, Brown. Barnett and Dyknan.
The lawyers and ltigants for TWENTY-FIVE or
twenty-three years thus had an opportunity
to attend to their business affairs with
Judges Of their vicinity. There is at the
present moment but one Judge entitled to
sit at Trial Term in the Supreme Court
living within the territory of the proposed
Ninth Judicial district. and that Judge.
under the powerful influence OF BROOKLYN.
sits more frequently outside of the proposed
Ninth Judicial district during the year than
he does within it,
The necessities Of Kings county have been
! such that the courts in the Second Judit ial
district within what it is proposed to make
the new Ninth district have fallen behind
in their work, rs has hitherto been ind-
, Gated
1T is about time that district should be
made which would take care of the busl-
ness Of that district to the exclusion of the
h,,ot in Ntha - q