Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-10-16
FIELD TO RETIRE.
Supreme Court Justice to Be Succeed
ed by Attorney General Mckenna-
Judge Day Slated for Promotion-Secretary
Sherman May Also Conclude to Be
Relieved of His Duties In the
State Department.

CHICAGO, Oct. 13.-The Times-Herald
to-day published the following from
Walter Wellman, its Washington cor
respondent: Associate Justice Field,
of the supreme court, having now
broken all records for length of serv-
ice upon the bench, has made formal
application to be relieved Decem Der L
next. Attorney General McKenna is
to be his successor and Judge Day,
now assistant secretary of state, will
probably be appointed attorney gem
eraL These changes have all been de-
cided upon and will be effected as soon
as congress meets, SO that the senate
may confirm the appoin tments. At
the same time there may be other
changes in the cabinet Secretary
Sherman may conclude to retire from
the state department.. If he does, it is
believed Secretary Long, of the navy
department. will be chosen secretary
of state and that Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt will be promoted to secre-
tary of the navy. But the retirement
of Justice Field, the appointment of
Attorney General McKenna to the va
-cancy and the promotion of Judge Day
to a seat in the cabinet are the only
changes now decided upon.
President Mckinley will not ask
Secretary Sherman to retire. but if
Sherman should conclude that the
office makes too great demands upon
his strength and asks to be relieved of
its burdens, it is probable that Judge
Day may be promoted to the secretary
ship of state. Otherwise he will be
made attorney general, in accordance
with the programme outlined above.
When Judge McKenna was asked to
become attorney general in the Nc
Kinley cabinet he expressed a prefer
ence for something upon the bench. It
was then intimated to him that if he
would consent to take the attorney
generalship for a time he might be
chosen as the successor of Justice
Field upon the supreme bench should
that justice decide to retire. 1t has
been an open secret ever since Mr.. Nc
Kenna took a place in the cabinet that
he was slated for the first vacancy in
the supreme court His desire to re-
turn to a judicial career and Judge
Days wish to be attorney general were
taken from the first to fit together and
form accommodation which only
awaited opportunity to be effected.
The opportunity has now come. and
barring the con tingency that Judge
Day may possibly become secretary of
state, the tacitly understood pro-
gramme is to be carried out.
Justice Field has been eligible for
retirement ever since November 4,
1896, when he reached the age of 20
years Since that time there have
been frequent rumors that he was
about to leave the bench. There was
no foundation for any of them. how
ever, and it was not until a short while
ago that he decided to take the step of
which this is the first public announce
'ment- He then called upon the presi-
dent and formally presented his letter
asking for retirement.
It was on August 16 last that Justice
Field broke the record for length of
service on the supreme bench, as it
was on that day that he exceeded the
term of service of "a years five months
and six days to the credit of Chief JUS
tice Marshall, whose services had up
to that time been the longest in the
history of the court. The total length
of Justice Fields service up to the
time when his retirement will take
effect, December 1, will be "a years
seven months and 90 days. Under the
law Justice Field will receive the full
salary of an associate justice of the
United States supreme court-S1O, 900
per year-for the remainder of his life.
BOlES ON THE SILVER ISSUE.