Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-04-21
EDWARD 3. PHELPS

Cleveland gave for HIS choice. He said
that had It been an associate justiceship,
the president would have eheerfully APP
ipointed Senator Gray, but that, under all
the circumstances, It was not. deemed
wise or e~xpedient to appoint 20 young a
man, comparatively speaking, to preside
over these old veterans of the supreme
court bench. The president examined
ths held carefully, and he concluded that
Mr. Phelps was the mar for the place.
Though MI. Phelps Is 66 years old,n
sat4 Mr.. Pugh, the IL well preserved,
and Che president remarked that he was
the youngest man of his years that he
had ever known; at GO he was really
younger than many men at so. ASS
lawyer, he ts head and shoulders shove
many of the most eminent members of
that profession in the country. He is
the equal of Thurman In all that goes to
make up the great lawyer and jurist. He
possesses all the elements of qualiica-
tion, and there will be no inconsistency
IN his presiding over the trained jurists
sf the supreme bench. he will not have
10 acquire qualifications by experience,
n Lot me d that in his devotion to the
fundamental principles Of Democracy,
MI Phelps Is not behind she noble Thur
aug Galu LII Ing EUE-
struetton OF the consultation and in all
ether questions he h aualihed to take up
Gha duties imposed FROM tAs first hour he
aseends the bench"
M. Pugh had 8cnae d~ifienlty IN satis-
fStng some Of the Democratic senators
about the wisdom Of the selection. Sew
sraa Of them had set their hearts on Gray,
ana did net wan to give him up. Mr..
PHgh rather expected the nomination of
MI, Phelps to reach the senate yester-
day, bat It did not coma. II is said that
Senator Edmunds viii see that the con
farnation takes place promptly. Indeed,
% Democratic senator, upon hearing
Mr.. pugh's news, exclaimed with some
bitterness,
$50 Mr.. Edmunds names the new chief
Justice"
Phelps and Edmunds are very old and
warm friends.
II was stated at the White House that
the president had not yet determined
upon q successor Of Chief Justice Waite
The prominent mention Of Mr.. Phelps
Ramet like that OF Senator Gray a few
days ago, arises from the fact that In CON
yerBAtions with senators and other proni-
mont Democrats on tho subject, TIE
/ president has spoken ia very favorable
terms Of Mr.. Phelps, and invited the
| opinion of his visitors as to his qualifica-
hons for the place.
The River ard Harbor Bl1 in Jeopardy.
WASHINGTON, April 20.-Members Of
che house committee on rivers and har-
bors were a good deal agitated yesterday
over h prospects of the failure of their
bill The heavy vote by which the mo-
ton made to suspend the rules and put
the bill on It's passage failed on Monday
last makes the outlook for the river and
harbor bill very discouragtng, and every
kind OF proposition to trade measures
and give strength 70 this bill is on foot.
Mr.. Bayns, of Pittsburg, who is one Of
the members Of the committee, says that
It looks NJ though the rtvey and harbor
bin would net DO acted upon In the house
early enough at this session to permit
the senate to pass upon 1t, and that the
injury to the country which she failure
of the bin would bring about could not
DO estimated. The anxiety OF the COM
nittee TO get action upsn sho river and
harbor bill is likely to force some kind Of
. turn ia the situation within the next
two Or three weeks. The committee Ia
willing to take q good many risks, and
would rather SEQ the bill fail by a direct
vote than die on the calendar without
| any eetion whatever.