Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-04
Statement by Member of Bar.

The following statement was made this
afternoon by member of the bar, who has
taken an active part in the movement look
ing to an expression of the views of the
bar on the necessity for the appointment
of a local practitioner at the District bar
as successor to Justice Bradley on the
bench
any particular member of the District bar
No suggestion that such a meeting should
be Reid came from any of the gentlemen
who have been named in connection with
the vacancy. The proposition found encour-
agement from supporters of all the leading
candidates, and likewise found discourag e-
ment from some of the chief advocates Of
each of the local men, The latter gentle-
men were of this opinion because they be-
l1eved such a meeting would be futile, and
that II would lack influence at the White
House and the Department of Justice
Its proponents, however. believe that
President Roosevelt and Attorney General
Knox will listen to the united voice of the
District bar that. the situation demands the
appointment of lawyer in active practice
at our bar. The attorneys of the District
may differ in individual preferences but
1t Is thought they are a unit on the propo-
S1tion that our laws, owing to their COM
pick and individual character require for
their efhcient administration a judge edu-
Gated in local practice.
In all the interviews published on the
subject with leading lawyers and business
men of the District the dominant idea was
that the new judge should be a man whose
training has familiarzeds himself with the
laws and people of the District.
There seemed not TO be Il dissentient
voice to this. The meeting of the bar
association has been called merely to give
expression to this almost, if not absolutely
universal feeling.
Similar Conditions Cited.
LAS to the point that the District bar
-S
say that the instances are by no means I'M
common where the President has chosen
between candidates where the public men
and the people of the respective districts
have had individual preferences but have
been united upon the point that the APP
pOintee should come from particular dis
trict. In this case that selection should
not be very difficult. The records of all
the leading local candidates are well known
and all facts necessary concerning each of
them either are known already are ca
pable of aSCertainment whenever any in
formation is desired, from members of the
bar of high standing who Will be entirely
willing to state any facts wished by the ex-
ecutive or the Attorney General.
As to the suggestion of the futiiity of an
expression of views by members of the Dis
trict bar. 1t Is sufficient to say that persons
who have rights cannot expect those rights
to be needed in the absence Of any express
sion to the proper officers of the government
or their views. To believe that either the
President or the Attorney General would
resent any such expression is to belle the
personal record of each of these gentlemen
and to treat as a mere empty phrase one
of the fundamental principles of the bill of
rights of every government republican in
form"
There is no reason to take it for granted
that the matter Is settled. The President
is the only who can settle it and he has
not expressed himself. The apocryphal
statements of hackers of various persons
to this effect are not to be taken as his ex-
pressions. The present meeting Is not
protest, but is to place before the President
things which it is believed will have weight
in influencing the final decision to be eX-
pressed in a nomination to the Senate"