New-York tribune., 1909-05-30
FOES IN POLITICS
THEY BECOME BROTHERS
At NEW YORK BAR.
Partisan Lines Entirely ObIiterated
IN Relations of Leading Lac
gers Of This City.

lawyers eminent an national and state politics
who upon leaving public life and office have
removed from their former homes and made
New York CITY the scene Of their subsequent
professional work One of The interesting re
suits OF this tendency has been TO bring together
into law partnerships in many cases those who
had previously been actively and in some in
stances even bitterly opposed to each other as
members Of different parties and in political
contests. But it has frequently been observed
that all the old political differences seem to be
forgotten as soor as they come together in New
York as lawyers. This is generally true not
alone as to those with whom such retiring
statesmen associate themsely's as law partners
but also as to the other lawyers Of high stand
ing in the community. Prob bly, there Is no
other city in tn country where 50 little OF
professional jealousy among lawyers IS mani
Tested a in New York.
Ex-President Grover Cleveland was con-
spicuous example Of such cases. After leaving
-he White House he resumed law practice not
at his old home in Buffalo but in this city. He
became a member OF iarEe law firm which
included several prominent Democrats and Re
r,,1blicsns Among the former was Francis
lvnde Stctson and on the Republican side OF
The house was Wayne MacNeagh who had been
ATTORNEY General in the Cabinet Of a Repuohcan
rre5ecessor Of President Cleveland During all
the time that AIr. cleveland remained a member
Of the New York bar no trace Of partisan or
political feeling WAS ever manifested toward MN
hv mis- legal associates or opponents OF course
it was never forgotten that he had been Pres
ident bat the cordiality Of feeling shown by
other distinguished jurists was chiefly eNhibiteN
toward him as a brother lawyer
James NJ. Beck had not only been prominent
as 2 Democrat but had been recognized as one
Of the ablest Of the younger lawyers OF PhlI-
adelpfia when he WAS called to Washington as
Assistant Attorney General in the second ad-
11lir1istration If President cleveland After WIN
ming national reputation for his work in that
office he came to New York and has since been
q member of the law firm Of Shearman & Ster-
ling which is also composed Of Democrats and
Repuhlicans In his New York practice Mr.
Beck has never been thought OF as a Democrat
or a Republican hut only as a lawyer. L might
he said that his case loses force as an illustra-
-ion because the nomination Of Mr.. Bryan ana
f7e conflict over the maintenance Of the gold
standard led Mr.. Beck 10 support Mr. Mckinney.
But the fact remains above stated
PARKER. HATCH AND sHEEHAN.
one Of the most striking instances Of the
nassfng Of such partisan feeling has been al
forded by the formation OF the law firm OF
Parker Hatch & Sheehan. Before Judge Alton
p Parker was elected to the Supreme Court or
=
mart in Democratic politics. His candidacy for
- 4fe Presidency in 1904 Of course brought him
before the country as one OF the great leaders Of
his marty He is still recognized whenever
the exigencies Of national politics call him from
legal practice TO the discussion Of pending pub
lie questions. But this has not prevented him
from forming a law partnership with 50 pro-
{.ounced and influential Republican as ex-
J,,dse Edward W Hatch who was active in
rlr~f faaro
for years a member Of the Republican State
Committee and having been District Attorney
af Erie COUNTY Judge Of the Superior Court of
r7uffalo and a justice of the Supreme Court.
They never have agreed and presumably never
can agree in their politics. but as lawyers and
mariners they are the most harmonious Of as
sociates.
The third lawyer whose name appears IN that
firm title has been a still more uncompromis-
ing partisan and party opponent-eX-Lieut enant
Governor William F. Sheehan If ever there
was q man who loved the encounters Of partisan
strife when actively engaged in politics il was
he In his old Buffalo home every one regarded
him as a hard fighter. He knew both how TO
give strong blows and how TO take them with
out finching He the object Of tha most
severe criticism and even fierce attack A9d
this continued as long as he was in active poll
tics. But as soon as he quit such political pur-
IN New York all of these attacks ceased and
he became enc Of that fraternal group of prom
3neut New York lawyers whose devotion to the
interests Of their clients and whose ideas Of
professional ethics give no room for petty quar-
rels or personal animosities.
Probably there would have been no break in
this experience had not the former Lieutenant
Governor IN the Presidential campaign Of 1904
so far resumed his political activities TO be
So -F,a Of
the Democratic National Committee. OF course
Judge Parker, as the candidate Of his party for
the Presidency was subjected 10 the usual
periences of such candidate in the way of criti-
cisrn and partisan attack But Mr.. Sheehan
did not escape In the late summer of 1906
fCharles A Walsh. the Iowa member Of the
Democratic National Committee. who was it's
secretary during the first two Bryan campaigns,
lresigned as a member OF that committee and
.tn q letter TO the chairman gave his reasons.
He made q vitrolic attack upon several of his
s5ormer associates, and in particular cast asper-
,sions upon Mr.. Sheehan that We're not only un-
i3ust and untrue but were particularly calculated
10 wound his sensibilities as an individual at
that time actively engaged in practics as
corporation lawyer. In the course Of his prac-
tice. however, as such lawyer in New York
he has been regarded and treated among other
lawyers OF the same high standing. only with
the fraternal courtesy and friendIiness that here
prevail among them.
TWO OF EACH POLITICAL FAITH.
The law firm Of O'Brien. Boardman Platt &
Littleton presents a still peculiar illus
tration OF former political opponents harmoni-
ously and fraternally associated as New York
lawyers. Judge Morgan J. OBrien. the head
of the firm. has always been recognized as a