Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-13
CAPITAL CHAT.
The Ceremony and Formality
Of the Supreme Court.
The Lines Along Which the Maine
Congressman Are Busy.
Senator Hale and Admiral Dewey on
Naval Policy.

washington, u. e., Jan. Il
Especially .-Four or five days every
week at noon, on the very moment,
there is an interesting little procession
at the Capitol. The long corridor be-
tween the Senate and the House, passes
two-thirds the way, going north
the room of the Supreme Court. Hid
den in the recesses Whereabouts are nu-
merous other rooms for the accommo-
dation of the clerk and other officers of
the court. Thousands of people surge
by forenoon and afternoon, hardly
needing the stalwart negro, who is ever
on guard there, while the justices of
the supreme court are at the Capitol.
Promptly at noon, when the court is
to be in session the stalwart negro, well
advanced in life, suddenly becomes
alive. Another negro of smaller statue
energies from a door and the two have
two redvelvet coloredropes, which they
stretch across the corridor with snap.
That blocks the passage way but the
doors to the left, when one is going
north opens ON the dot and the folding
doors on the other side open. Forth
steps Chief Justice Fuller. so well
known in Augusta, for he is passing
from the Iobbing room of the court
across the corridor to the court room
to open the session. He is in his black
robe, his hat and other top coats have
been left behind. He walks sedately
and just behind him comes the i'm
mense figure of Mr.. Justice Harlan,
also in his black robe and so the pro-
cession of the entire justices passes
and a little later come forth from be-
hind the red curtains of the court room
and take their seats upon the benches.
The crier formally opens the court and
business proceeds.
In no branch of the government, not
even at the White House, is there so
much formality and observance of
precedent as at the Supreme Court.
Not one of the associate justices would
for a moment think of stepping in
front of the former citizen of Augusta
and venerable graduate of Bowdoin
and not for a moment would one of the
other associate justices think of step
ping in front of Mr.. Justice Harlan.
They walk in the order of their APP
pointments by the President of the
United States and it makes no differ
ence whether they are entering the
court room or attending some public
function. AS a rule the justices also
walk Indian file and it is very rare that
one sees them at any public place
walking arm in arm. All in black they
make a striking procession in their
legal robes, although those are never
worn except in court.
Most of the justices are pedestrians.
They walk to the court in the morning
and they walk from it in the late
afternoon. 1t is no unfamiliar sight to
Washingtonians to see the justices by
twos and threes tramping up the ave-
nue. in the most democratic fashion.
They do not often appear in company
with any one else but members of their
own court and they enjoy the exercise
keenly. 1t is fully mile between the
Capitol and the residences of the JUS
tees and between some of the houses
and the capitol it is much more Chief
Justice Fuller is not so much of a
pedestrian as are Justices Harlan,
Brewer, White and Brown, although
the last named has taken to walking
mostly this year.
The justices have very easy and a
pleuSdiil lie, although, OF course, tney
must be men of great judicial knowl-
edge and the talents they devote to
their work is necessarily very valu-
able. There are thousands of lawyers
in the country who annually receive in
one fee more than the entire salary of
any one of the justices of the Supreme
court. which is $4,000 year. Chief
Justice Fuller has $10.500. The fact
that the judge of all the federal
courts receive such small salaries is
now receiving the attention of Con-
gress with probability that at this
session the salary of Chief Justice
Fuller will be increased to $4,000,
which is about the same as the adj
miral Of the navy receives for his
work, and the salaries of the associate
judges will be raised to $4,000 OF
course it is to be said that when once
the judges are appointed to the bench
they have a sure support to the end of
their days, Cor when they retire it is on
a full salary and not on a three-fourths
salary as is the case with army and
navy officials. But with the large
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