The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-12-30
PLAN TO MAKE SEATTLE MANS
FRIENDS MEMBERS OF SU-
PREME BENCH.
Many Lawyers in the State Believe
Membership Should Be In
creased to Seven.

manently, two new places on the SUI
preme court bench and to have Gov
ernor Mead appoint to fill these places
Herman D. Grow, of Spokane, and
Milo A. Root, of Seattle, is the pro-
gram Of part of the Seattle bar, ac-
cording to the Seattle Press Times.
1t has the approval of the head Of
the republican state committee and
other Wilson leaders.
The supreme court is behind in its
work, and attorneys insist that litiga-
ton before the court is so extensive
that the five judges cannot catch up
in their work. Temporary relief was
attempted four years ago. when the
court was behind it's calendar, and
w. H. White of Seattle and Judge
Hiram E. Hadley, of Bellingham, were
appointed to serve two years. Sub
sequently Judge Hadley was elected
J to place on the supreme bench.
According to attorneys, the temper
airy relief was not sufficient, though
the last legislature would not permit
the expedient to be tried again or
two permanent places created. Now
interested lawyers are attempting to
either secure temporary relief or have
the number of judges increased from
five to seven.
The political aspect of the fight is
the one that interests the Wilson fol-
lowing. There has been a feeling of
bitterness ever since Grow was re-
fused a supreme court nomination al
the last republican state convention
Subsequently Grow came out strong
for Mead and stumped a part of the
7 state with the gubernatorial candi-
date.
So far as Crow is concerned it is
T insisted by republican politicians that
: the new governor is satisfied with the
program for his appointment. There
is not much protest among politicians
Crow was one of the presidential
electors, bue, he has not asked any
: thing else since his defeat for justice
/ of the supreme court, hoping that an
| increase in the bench would bring his
reward.
Root is a law partner of State
Chairman Palmer, and close to the
Wilson organization. During the
campaign he seized upon the title OF
ce-chairman and acted officially
officially during Palmdrs absence
from the city. AS a reward for his
services he has been picked out as a
second appointee. Wallace Mount
one of the two judges whose terms
expire in 1907, is a Wilson man, and
the appointment of Crow and Root
would give the perennial candidate
three Of the four members of the su-
preme bench.
|
supreme court bench are of any i'm
mediate political value to Wilson that
interests him in the fight In fact,
from a political standpoint the ap-
pointment of Crow from Mount
county is not a good move Mount
privately announced late in 1899 that
that Spokane politics demanded his
elimination. The public generally mas
forgotten this, and the prestige COM
ing with claim of three followers on
the bench is aluring to Wilson.
Whatever may be the outcome of
his senatorial campaign, Wilson is
organizing for the future. He will
name E. W. Ross appointees in the
state land Office. Through E. G. Ames
he expects to control the state audi
tor S. H. Nichols, secretary of state.
has always been friendly to Wilson
and the influence of State Chairman
Palmer upon the new governor is
/ counted upon Dy WllSOn 10 mold MIN
in line in the executives office. With
this start, Wilson hopes to build for
the future.
Candidates From East Side.
In the event of the increase in the
number of supreme judges there is a
probability of number of other can
didates springing up on the east side
in opposition to those announced as
being the choice of Wilson for the
judicial positions. The friends of
Judge Thomas H. Brents in Walla
walla have spoken of the venerable
jurist as being made up of the right
kind of material to sit on the highest
bench in the state, and should he al
low his name to. be used a persistent
effort will be made to secure his ap-
pointment.
Columbia county would also have a
candidate in Judge c. F. Miller, at