The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-05
IS COMING SOON.
Federal Judgeship Appoint
ment Will Be Decided.
Senator Long Has Not Yet Made
an Endorsement.
JOHNSTON OR POLLOCK
Believed One of These Will Get
the Plum.
Former Probably Has the
Better Chance.

It is expected that there will be some
thing transpire in the federal judgeship
matter within short time Senator
Long will be in Topeka on his way to
Washington in about ten days and M
will doubtless talk over the matter with
various parties at that time 1t is un-
derstood that Senator Long has not yet
endorsed any candidate, and he has not
discussed the matter during the weeks
that he has been suffering from poor
health The Kansas congressional dele
cation will all probably go to Washing
ton within a month. and they will pro-
bably hold a conference to talk over the
judgeship shortly thereafter
1t is understood that President Roose-
velt is desirous that the Kansas delega-
ton shall unite on a single candidate be-
fore he makes an appointment If it
does not he may take a notion to pick
up candidate of his own choosing, as
he did in Indiana soon after he became
president, and as he also did when he
appointed Pension Commissioner Ware.
Congress is scheduled to meet November
and the president will doubtless send
Judge Hooks name to the senate for
confirmation as United States circuit
judge shortly thereafter, and an ap-
pointment for the district judgeship VIII
then be due.
Chief Justice Johnston of the supreme
court probably has as fine line of en-
dorsements for the place as any man
could secure. They are from prominent
lawyers district judges and other men
Of prominence all over the state, and
with these Judge Johnston will Try to
secure the endorsement of Senator
Long. But meanwhile Justice Pollock
has not been inactive, and the rulnor
continues to gain ground that at the
proper time some of the prominent pol
iticians of the state Will come out for
Pollock. Then too it Is reported that
when Charles Blood Smith is out of the
race the railroad influence will be
thrown to Pollock.
Both Johnston and Pollock were per-
Sonally for Long for senator last Win
Ter but Justice Pollock could not give
him any assistance from his home
county, Cowley. Cowley has two rep
resentatives but one was a fusionist
and the other was for Curtis fer sem
ator. 1t Is said that personally Mr..
Long feels more friendly towards Chief
Justice Johnston.
But if President Roosevelt should in
sist on the congressional delegation
uniting on a candidate. there is a pos
sibility that this would act against
Johnston for he and Senator Burton
have never been good friends. 1t IS
possible, however, that Burton might
think his endorsement of Johnston
would help him in the Fifth district,
NherC he needs help.
1t seems to he accepted by the poll
ticians that Charles Blood Smith IS
practically eliminated from the race,
and if there is a likelihood of a dead
lock in the congressional delegation. it is
more than possible that n. b. LOOMS
will become an active candidate Mr
1.0omis however. has endorsed Smith
and as long as Smith is in the race he
Z oil no ,f a
positive candidate. It is not likely eth
or that he will make an aggressive fight
against either Pollock or Johnson, but
if he should he assured that the delega-
zion could not be united on either of the
two, it is quite likely that he would go
into the rece for himself There is
considerable number of influential Re
smhlicans and attorneys who have re-
fused to endorse any other candidate,
believing that they VIII eventually have
an opportunity to push LOOmiss
A peculiar fea ture of LOomis' pro-
posed ca ndidacy is that he would meet
fuenees, although he is one of the
prominent railroad attorneys of the
west The Union Pacific is desirous Of
retaining his services as its Kansas
legal representative. and other roads
are not anxious to see him appointed
on the supreme bench.
Although Mr. Loomis' fitness for the
place is conceded as a rule. in one way
his appointment would be something of
F. calamity for Kansas politics, for the
reason that it would remove him from
active boitical circles. Loomis' in
fuence is of the positive kind for up
Iightness and purity in politics. and it
would seem a pity to remove it. There
are too few men like I-oomis in poll
tics
Various other candidates have been
suggested for the place but there are
none active. and the suggestion of their
names is having no bearing on the sit
uatiOn.