The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-19
Many Kansas Lawyers With
Judicial Aspirations.
Probably a Dozen Who Want
Supreme Court Place.
TO BE ONE VACANCY.
Practically Certain That One
Judge viii BE Promoted.
Those Who Are Waiting to
Take the Vacant Seat.

While the politicians viii probably be-
come somewhat heated from now on
over the First district contest the law
yers over the state are going to keep
their best eye. individually, on the fed
eral judge matter.
Not that many of them are greatly
interested, from a personal standpoint,
in the federal 5udgeship further than to
have a personal choice, but the fact that
the filling of the vacancy on the federal
bench may bring about similar va
cancy o the supreme bench is being
regarded with interest by the lawyers.
Probably majority of the big law
yers-the leading ones in each county
in the state of Kansas, have judicial
aspirations The greater number prob
ably regard district judgeships as the
more practical because the more possible,
but all would like eventually to land on
the supreme bench. There are possibly
q few who have not this desire, but to
occupy a high judicial position is a
laudable ambition for a lawyer, and few
attorneys would refuse such a place.
A vacancy on the supreme bench
would have to be filled by appointment
by the governor, and there are doubt
less a dozen or fifteen lawyers in the
state who are figuring right now on Sc
curing endorsements for the appoint
ment in case there is a vacancy; and by
the time the vacancy is really mere there
may be many more. OF course some of
them will never materialize as candi-
dates, because their ambitions will be
nipped in the bud, but they would like
the appointment just the same.
If Chief Justice Johnston is advanced
to the federal bench the First and
q Sixth districts will have the best claim
to the place. for the reason that they
have no justices on the supreme bench
the Fifth and Seventh districts each
having two The Sixth had a justice
until Judge Ellis died last October, ana
Justice Burch of the Fifth district was
given the vacancy.
The First district alone can doubt
less scare up number or candluateS
Tor the supreme bench. In the first
place there is a strong feeling for Judge
J. S. West. who was assistant attorney
general under A. A. GODDARD, and is
now Governors Bailey's confidential le-
gal advisor. Judge West was on the dis
trict bench for anumber of years in the
Bourbon Crawford-I4inn district, and
that part of the state besides large
portion of the Wyandotte county bar,
where he practiced later, would like to
see him placed on the supreme bench.
Since locating in Topeka Judge West
has made a good many friends here
and he is a first class lawyer and his
judicial record is excellent.
But there will doubtless be others.
r. B. WEIGH aspired to the supreme
bench last year, and he would doubt
and he would have strong
following Then, too ]. D. Nc
,ri.nd was a strong candidate for
tment at the time the court was
cropad three years ago, and he had
q cooking Of NJ. A. Low and many
has. Judge T. f. Carver was the
,candidate of the Republican party
chief justice, six years ago. and he
Did doubtless secure a large number
endorsements for the place, should
lie wish it,
Then Judge Case Broderick of jack
son county, ex-cOngresSman from the
First district, is mentioned as a posi-
BILE candidate. There are strong bars
In Brown, Atchison and Leavenwortn
counties also and they would in all
probability develop some candidates by
the time the race started.
Turning to the Sixth district, there
are a number of candidates out there
all ready to enter the race, as they
were in the one last fall to succeed the
late Justice Ellis. There is Judge
Clark Smith of Cawker City, who made
a first class record on the district bench;
Judge ]. c. Postlethwaite of Jewell
City, who has been a prominent factor
in state political circles for number
Of years and served on the court of
visitation during the brief time that
that tribunal existed, and a number of
others. Judge Lee Monroe was a can
didate for the place last fall, but he
has since moved to Topeka. One of the
most available men in the Sixth dis
trict last fall was Judge Charles w.
Smith of Stockton, whose term the
district bench at that time was about
to expire. He was reelected last fall
and now the constitutional provision
shuts him off from seeking another OF
flee for three years.
And there is judicial timber in other
districts also. The fact that other
districts have more than one justice is
sufficient precedent to warrant the ap-
pointment of another justice from a
district which already has one, should
the governor deem ii necessary, al
though. of course the First and Sixth
districts would have the lead This
lead would not be so great, however,
as to bar candidates from other dis
tricts from getting into the race
A Leavenworth dispatch states that
Congressman Curtis is expected there
today and spend several days in Leav-
enworth county looking after political
matters. The announcement of Judge
w /. Stuart and d. r. Anthony. Jr..
that they will be congressional candi-
dates, has started the congressional
fight early.
Judge S. r. Peters has joined in the
race for governor of the national mill
tary home at LeavenwOrth. and il is
said that he has the endorsements of
Senator Long and Congressman Muir
dock. This is one place. however,
where political endorsements may not
count for very much. It is also stated
that Sidney Cooke, the Kansas member
of the board of managers of national
military homes. would like the place.
and it is quite likely that he can get
it If he really wants it.
It is reported that there will be a
three cornered fight for the Republic
can nomination for state senator in But
Ter county. Senator Fremont Leidy
would like a denomination for another
term. while both of the renresenta lives
from that county. ]. r. Adams Of the
north district. and S b. Brandon of the
south district would like to be ad-
vanced to the senate. Leidy is a Bur-
ton man and was for Curtis in the re-
cent senator fight; Brandon was one Of
Mr.. Curtis most loyal supporters, while
ADAMS was one Of EtanlaY,s nanagers