The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-10
HEARST TO CONTROL COURTS
WOULD DICTATE THE NOMINA-
TION or FOUR JUDGES.
A Man Of Many suits, Both ~ Plaintiff and
Defendant Statement Made by Law
yer Mekeen. Associate Of Mr.. Hughes
In the Insurance Investigation.

n Wan OF MANY Sulte, bOtn A. FiAInthU Anu
Defendant Statement Made by Law.
yer Mekeen. Associate Of Mr.. Hughes
In the Insurance Investigation.
Former Corporation Counsel James
McKeen Of Brooklyn, who was Mr.. Hughes's
associate in the insurance investigation,
came out yesterday with this statement in
regard to Mr.. Hearst's plans to control the
Judiciary:
Il notice that Mr.. Hearst il making a
great hue and cry about the control which
he alleges the corporations exercise over
the Judiciary. ! wonder IL II has occurred
to the voters that Mr.. Hearst himself In
seeking to exert a far more direct and
forceful influence than he alleges in a very
vague way il exercised by the corporations1
In debating hat four of the candidates
for the Supreme Court bench in Manhat-
tan must be men approved by him and in
putting an Independence League judicial
ticket in the field over here in Brooklyn
he is doing that very thing.
in considering this phase OF the cam
paign il must be remembered that the
personal equation Ia the chief factor in
the Hearst campaign. Voters are asked
70 cast their ballots for the Independence
League candidates and also for the Demo-
cratic State ticket largely because OF the
personality Of Mr.. Hearst.
MIR. Hearst dominates the ~Independ-
ence League. He dictates what men shall
be nominated for Office and what names
shall be left Of the slate. In short, it is
no exagReration 10 say that Mr.. Hearst IA
the Independence League.
As the recognized head and dictator
OF the league he has informed Murphy
that four OF the judicial nominations in
Manhattan must go to men in the indie
~pendence League. He has named those
men. In Brooklyn he has given orders TO
put an independent judicial ticket in the
field and again has named the men who
are to stand az candidates. This goes 20
show the destinies Of those men are CON-
trolled by Hearst personally. TO how great
an extent they would be Indebted to Mr..
Hearst personally if they should be elected
to the judiciary.
But In addition to being dictator of
the Independence League Mr.. Hearst il
also the owner OF prominent newspapers
in this city: As newspaper owner he is
constantly involved in important litiga-
ton. Libel suits, aggregating hundreds
of thousands of dollars, are yearly brought
against the organs he owns in this city.
Libel suits are decided in the courts.
Think OF the situation which would be
precipitated were one OF these libel suits
TO be tried in a court over which a Justice
who had received his nomination from
the hands OF Mr.. Hea rst presided!
an such a contingency il would be al
most the duty OF that Justice to refuse
to try the case. He would be morally
bound to say: L am beholden to Mr..
Hearst for my Office. l received it from
him personally. Owing to the relations
that existed between us It would he mani,
testify improper for me to try this case
That is what such a Justice, in such a con-
tingency. ought morally TO do, but would
he do il?
Again, Mr.. Hearst may become the de-
PENDANT in damage suits amounting to a
total of nearly 5000 600. Suits aggregat-
ing that amoun have been instituted
against the city on account of the fatal
tiles and casualties which occurred in
connection with the Hearst fireworks at
Madison Square three years ago. II the
courts hold hat the city is not liable Mr..
Hearst will become the defendant. Should
a man who may he placed in that position,
l ask, be in a place to exert a direct and
forceful control over the judiciary, such
as Mr.. Hearst would be bound to exercise
were his judicial nominees to be elected?
Finally, readers Of Mr.. Hearst's news
papers will recOllect that Mr.. Hearst fire.
quently brings legal action against what
he alleges to be abuses and on behalf of
the people. Through his counsel he often
asks for injunctions in the Supreme Court.
Sometimes these injunctions are granted;
sometimes they are not.
Imagine how it would simplify mat
tiers were Mr.. Hearst to have a few Judges
OF his own creation on the bench! How
easy it would be for him to obtain tenn
porary injunctions then. would it not?
-Men are but human. Candidates for
judicial office selected from the indie
pendence League, in the event Of their
election, could not but remember that
hey owed their positions on the bench
to Mr.. Hearst personally. And no man
involved in litigation as frequently and
heavily as is Mr.. Hearst should be able
m exert such an influences over the in
dietary as he il now seeking to be in a