The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1901-06-08
Fuller For President.

The recent strong dissenting opinion of
Chief Justice Fuller in the Porto Rican
cases has started the President makers of
the nation to considering his name for the
Presidential nomination by the Democrats
in 1904. 1t is somewhat early yet to ar
range for a campaign that is SO far in the
future, for the reason that issues which to-
day appear paramount may, before the time
for the nomination arrives, be entirely super
seeded by others of a more pressing nature;
but there cannot be a doubt that the robust
reaffirmation by the distinguished Chief
Justice of the great constitutional principles
laid down by Chief Justice Marshall more
than eighty years ago with regard to what
constitutes s'the American EMPIRE has
greatly strengthened his hold upon old
fashioned Democrats throughout the country.
John Marshall in his day was considered
the foremost advocate of a centralized form
OF government in the country, and his
powerful decisions did much to give the
country the bias in that direction which
Jefferson and his followers earnestly COM
batted. And yet, this great Federalist
judge is SO far outstripped in his views on
Capitalization by current decisions of the
court as now constituted, as to make the ar.
guments he employed a strong weapon in
the hands of Democratic judge with which
to confound the sophistries of the success
sors to the faith once held by the great
chief Justice. 1t is not surprising therefore
that Chief Justice Fuller, whose sturdy adj
herence to, and defense of, the ancient
principles of equal constitutional rights to
the citizens of every foot of soil over which
the flag of the nation floats, should appeal
Oh, ~
hold to the old-time views of the constitu-
ton; and unless matters assume different
shape before the next national convention
assemblies it is unlikely that the
who stood up s'for the faith once delivered
to the saints may be prime favori.e with
Democrats from every sectio of the coun
try.
1t is true that the weight of precedent is
against the Chief Justice, inasmuch as no
man occupying that position has ever be-
come president, but precedent is not always
infallible guide, even as we have seen in
the decision of the Court which led to Judge
Fuller's strong protest against radical a
departure from the precedents and traditions
of the past. AS it was the overturning of a
long established precedent the part of
the majority of the Court that caused the
name of the Chief Justice to become linked
with the forecastings of the President
makers, even SO his nomination might af
ford another successful instance of prece-
ent-breaking. Another strong factor which
operates in favor of the Chief Justice is the
fact that the party is pretty much at sea
with regard to suitable selection. Grave
objections have been urged against every
man SO far presented, hence it might be
possible that the clean record of Judge Full
Ter, REINFORCED by the eclat with which
this opinion has been received, might make
him a figure around which all could really
without sacrifice of principle on the part of
any. Besides, the geographical considera-
ton is one not to be ignored, and the
Chief Justice halls from the Middle West,
from of the most powerful States of the
Union-and a doubtful State at that
political strategy would seem to confirm the
wisdom of such selection. Whatever may
be the changes of the future, it is certain
that if the convention were to be held this
year instead of three years hence, Judge
Fuller's name would be to conjure with
in the councils of the party.