New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-13
Judge Ransom Points
Why a Young Precedent Breaker
Should Become District Attorney

To tho Editor Of Tho Tribune.
Sir: II is much to be feared that the pres
ent campaign, what with ovcrshado"'ns
"sportinr" interest in the Mayoralty con-
test. may grow too old before 1t Is borne IN
on the voters Of this county how critically
important is the contest now on for the DIS
,rict Attorneys Office. For each campaign
for years the plea Ito keep Tammany out OF
the District Attorneys Office" has been so IN
.is,cnt as 70 become a commonplace OF New
York politics. yet IL has never had greater
reason for arresting the public than at THIS
time.
Public peace and moral welfare are AZ
stake. Indeed, national interests may Dc IN
yolved. A great Mayor may be irus''a'e'
nv n hostile or Indifferent District Attorney
and the police force. however honest, palsied
without the aid Of an honest, efficient prose-
cutting officer. Comparatively few people
consider that the District Attorneys ONCE
functions through score Of assistants upon
whom devolves the proper presentation oi
criminal pleas. These assistants are per.
sonal appointees Of the District Attorney anu
thus upon him alone rests the emeiehcy VI
the Office. II politics dictates these appoint
mcnts. 80 much the worse for the once. fer-
sorol integrity and An individual sense oil
public duty are the cardinal requisites OF
District Attorney. ,.,,,
M,yI ss a LAWYER. say a word for William
T. Ransom. who opposes the present IN
cumbent for election? Judge Ransom cannot
derv or palliate the crime Of being young
man: but he was not too young to make, by
nonular consensus, one Of the best among the
many members of the City Court bench
which the bar has known since the DAYS OIL
Judge Seabury, who in his memorable day
single handed routed the jury bribers. ran
som is a student of the law, and withal an
original thinker. His recent articles III Inc
Cornell Law Review" on the need Tor reIor-
nation in practice and procedure 10 jury
trials. that the litigant may get his just
rights with least delay and cost, are master
pieces Of logical, keen and practical thousn''
LAWYERS. both before the bar and on the
bench. have ever been slaves to precedene'
and often the rights OF the litigant nave oeen
lost sight Of in the play OF lawyers mys-
teries Judge Ransom, while on the peheh'
dared to run counter to their preconcep'io"S
end to cut through the tangled forihaiiSii
and the moss-grown precedents. Jurors ana
litigants and lawyers were universally sa,'S-
fed with his charges anu JuuBH'"'''
was he too young for appointment 70 the re-
sponsibe position Of chief counsel TO the
Public Service Commission in this district
and we'll and skilfully has he conducted MS
Office against the opposition Of high-priced
adverssries, whom only the powerful rail-
road corporations can afford to retain. fe,-
sonally. he has ever been modest and simple
in his bearing and democratic In MS poih'
of view. VI.
Judge Ingraham. the dean of our New iorh
Supreme Court and Appellate Division bencn
in this county, the official referee who heard
the charges against the present District Al,
torney a few weeks ago, did not recommend
70 the Governor his removal from office, and
the Governor wisely left the question to the
people; but what he did say of the accused
official WAS blishting enough. You would
never hear of such a Pyrrhc victory won by
Ransom. Indeed, you could hardly imagine
Judge Ransom being called upon to defena
himself rs a public officer from charges look
ing 70 his removal. HUGo WIN MN
New York, Oct 10, 1917.