The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-28
SUPREME coURr OF NATION.


ration, witness the chief justice of the
United States administering 70 the pres
ident-eIect the oath OF Office. Few Teadize
that the spectacle is more than a mere
ceremonial. This custom, which had its
inception at the second Inauguration OF
Washington. is q tacIC recognition Of the
fact that the judiciary is the greatest Of
tne three coordinate ranches Of the gov
ernment, anu that over the executive and
legislative branches - possesses and eG-
ercises veto power. This prerogative
makes the supreme court Of the United
States an institution without parallel in
the history Of nations as well as the
most powerful and majestic tribunal in
the world.
The present members OF the supreme
court owe their prefermenr chiefly 20
their regulations as expounders of the
law; asspOliticians and Office holders they
have scarcely any history. The es~iisr
justices We're nearly all men OF pronoUnc-
ed political opinions and affiliations.
The supreme court occupies the room in
which, previous 10 January 4. 1853. the
senate met II would be difficult TO mag
inc a Quieter place than this chamber
since, in December. 1867. it became the
nations great hail OF justice. II IS sew
enty-lve feet long. forty feet wide. and
its ceiling is a hslf-dome, through the
windows OF which falls a subdued light
4AG LlAANL NO-ASlSLS OA u EaA4c4Ns on
the east side OF the apartment. 1t IS
furnished Wa nine large chairs, heav-
ily upholstered in brown leather. Above
it is a smaller gallery. the only one pre-
served after .ae removal OF the senate.
It is supported by pillars OF DARK. varie-
gated Potomac marble, with Ionic cap
itals. Between the pillars are curtains Of
heavy crimson plush.
a large portion of the floor, in front q
the bench. is filled with chairs and desks
reserved for members Of the legal pro-
fession. who, by an unwritten but firmly
established rule, must be attired in black
when they appear before the bar OF the
court The conventional habit for law
yers of the gentler sex AS not yet been
prescribed for, of twenty-one women
who have been admitted to practice in
the supreme court. not one has ever yet
argued a case before it.
ne court is in session annually from
the beginning of October ill the end Of
June. AT noon, when il convenes. two
ropes covered with crimson velvet. are
stretched across the main corridor Of the
capitol, between the consulting room and
the court room. his effectually blocks
the passage from the senate to the house
OF representatives,. and the president him
self, should he be there. would be de-
tanned by these crimson barriers. \ rus
tie of silk is heard. and nine stately zen.
the chief justice at the head Of the pro-
cession and the associates il the oId-,
OF their appointment. all clad in black
gowns with wide sleeves, march in sin
Gle file across the corridor, through the
lobby of the court room. to their places
AS they enter the crier announces: The
honorable the chief justice and the asso-
eiate justices Of the supreme court Of the
United States" The justices stand be-
fore their chairs. bow to the bar, and the
lawyers and spectators. standing, return
the salute The erier continues: "Oyez,
oyez, oyezi All persons having business
before the honorable the supreme court
of the United States are admonished 70
draw near and give their attention. for
the court is now sitting God save the
United States and this honorable court
Soon after the supreme court came
into being the question Of a judicial garb
was raised. Hamilton. Burr and Jeffer-
son took part in the discussion The Eng
lish wig was rejected and the gown adopt
ed. That of the first chief justice was, In
pattern, similar to those worn today, ex-
cept that the decorative bands were OF
a vermillion hue. The voluminous robes
worn by the justices when on the bench
are of black silk. reaching TO their feet
This attire, though transformations. is i'm
pressive and adds to the naturally dis1i-
fed appearance of the nine men who have
in their keeping the rights and the for
tunes of 100000 people.
The justices have q life tenure Of Office.
They are appointed by the joint action Of
tbs president and the senate. They can
not be removed except by formal trial be
fore the senate. In age they can neither
be retired nor can their salaries be re-
duced, though. by an existing statute
they NAV retire voluntarily with fun sal
airy, $1,000, upon reaching the age Of 90
years. The chief justice. whose special
duty is TO preside when the court is In
session, and 10 assign TO his associates
the cases in which they are 70 write opin-
ions. receives S10.500 In accepting his
present position. Chief Justice Fuller re-
linquished a practice worth almost four
times his annual salary.
The seat on the right Of the chief Jus
tice. which, by long established prece-
dent is that OF the associate justice who
has been longest on the bench. is occupied
a present by Hon. John Marshall mar
Ian Of Kentucky. appointed in ISL I'm
mediately on the left Of the justice sits
the associate next IN seniority OF service
Hon. Horace Gray Of Massachusetts,.
Justice Gray, who was appointed in ISL
IS the giant Of the court, measuring six
feet four inches in his stockings. Justice
Harlan is almost as tall, and both aye
propOrtionately well built. The chief jus
tice. who is the smallest man on the sG-
preme bench. appears diminutive when
standing them. The other associates on
the left are Chief Justices Brewer. Shi-
ras and Pecbham; on the right, Justices
Brown, White and Mckenna.
That these men have not reached their
exalted positions a. a single bound ard
that they pay. increasingly. high price
for their prestige. IS evident 70 the most
casual observer. Few men work harder
or for longer hours than the justices ~
the supreme court. Every litigant. how
ever humble. can be certain that. though
years may elapse before his case comes
20 trial. he VIII have upon it the opinions
Of every one OF the justices. Every Set
urday night the chief justice sends his
messenger 20 the homes a. his associates
70 deliver sealed envelopes containing
the cases in which each is 20 write 0nin-
ions Each after hearing the arguments.
studies the cases Individually. AMI On
conference day all join 81 discussing
them.
The duties and responsihuites which
constitute these men court ~ last re-
sort make them known. officially. %
the entire country. heir TASTES and
personal qualities are 70 a much smaller
degree the property q The pubic for.
contrarv 20 republican usage in general.
the dignity that hedges the justices of7-
ciailv operates also as barrier - their
households Though ere executive man
sion. the cabinet and the residences and
homes and 6narclng places of TIE se1-
stors and re-rese1t1tireE are al on
some occasions accessible ~ fhe public
the doors of the supreme court CIRCLE.
in common with those q the diplomatic
CORPS rarely ope1 % either the socially
ambitious or she mildly clrio1s.
without exception the tlsficea are