New-York tribune., 1910-10-04
no PARTY POLITICS on THE
REhTH

BEAt II
The Republican and Democratic state
conventions i'm ma aking nominations Tor
the vacancies in the Court of Appeals
sensjbly adhered to the policy, now
practically established, of taking cleo
tons for the judiciary out of the field
of partisan politics Both conventions
renomipated Associate Judge Irving q.
Vann. Republican, and the Repub-
licans left place on their state ticket
TO be filled by the candidate for the
second vacancy chosen by the Demo
Gratis. In view of that harmonious ac-
ton il will be difficult for the party
managers in any of the judicial dis
tricts TO justify nominations for the
Supreme Court made OH partisan
basis. II has been rumored for some
time that the Democratic organization
in Kings County will refuse to aid IN
re-electing the three justices in the "a
Judicial District whose terms expire on
December 81 These Justices are Gar
ret 7. Garretson. of NewtOwn, and Sam
ueI IT. Maddox and Harrington Putnam.
of Brooklyn. Messrs. Garretson ana
Maddox have served full terms on the
bench and Mr. Putnam was appointed
by Governor Hughes TO fill the vacancy
caused hy the resignation of William
j. Gsynor. The former two justices
are Republicans and Mr.. Putnam is
Democrat. The denomination by the
Republicans Of the I'd District of Justice
Putnam m is q further application of the
rule now covering judges who have
given satisfactory service, since he has
only filled a temporary vacancy ny ap~
pointment But the extension is "a
sound one and il should also cover the
case of Justice LIE B9uf In the Sd Dis
trict. who was also appointed TO fill
vacancy by Governor Hughes.
The Brooklyn eub-agency of Tam
many Hall. now presided over by Nc
Cooey. is said TO feel that this. Is
good year in which to shelye the pro
gramme Of non-partisanship and 10 60
out after all three justiceships. Some
color is given 10 the report by the re
fusal of the Kings County Democrats 20
unite with the Republicans last year in
naming a candidate for justice. Mr..
McCarren had previously been willing
to Cooperate with the Republican Or
ganizatiop in clecting Supreme Court
justices. but last year he insisted on
putting forward a candidate of his own.
Mr. Isaac NJ. Kapper, who defeated the
Republican nominee, Mr.. Almct X. Lat
son. That victory probably quickencd
the appetite of the Kings County De
mocracy. and it is now anxious 10 ignore
earlier precedents and treat all three
iusticeshps as party spoils. We are glad
to see that representative Democratic
newspapers are denouncing that policy
as an arrogant defiance Of public senti-
mcnt.
At the election Of 1909 both parties
united in five of the nine judicial dis
tricts to rc-elect Justices whose terms
were about TO expire Justice Chester
received a double nomination III the Sd
District Justice Mclaughlin In the 4th,
Justice Lyon in the 9th, Justices Lough-
lin and Spring in the Sth and Justice
KpoCh in the 9th In the 9TH District
Justice Scripture was opposed for re-
election on the ground that he was too
active i'm politics and was defeated by
Justice MerrelI, the candidate of the In
dependent Republicans and Democrats.
No Justice came UP for reelection in
the Cd District. and D the 1st District
Justice Charles II. TrUaX failed to oh
tain nomination from both parties and
was defeated as Tammsny candidate.
The general practice nowadays strong
IL favors the retention on the bench of
| justices who have given creditahle ser
vice and the union whenever possible
on judicial nominations, although in
this county joint action has been cur
tailed by the propensity of Tsmmany
Hall 10 treat judgeships as political
prizes. Tsmmany leaders have even re
fused for personal reasons 10 renom-
| mate justices elected on the Tammany
ticket and have never favored friend
lv cooperation with the anti-Tammany
forces in taking judicial elections out Of
partisan politics. But outside the spe-
cial area of Tammany's pernicious ac-
| tiyities the non-partisan attitude toward
| judicial candidates Is firmly established,
and the voters should resent any de
parture from il inspired by partisax
| 1ccpssitipS or greed