Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-23
At THE WHITE HOUSE
Chief Justice Fuller and JUS
tice Harlan Call.
PRECEDENCE QUESTION
MAJOR McCAWLEY'S ACTION
THURSDAY NIGHT PROTESTED.
Senators Fairbanks and Aldrich Talk
on the Panama Standardization
Gases Acted On.
PRECEDENCE QUESTION

Deep interest was manifested and endless
| speculation was caused at the White House
| today by a visit made the President by
! Chief Justice Fuller and Associate Justice
Harlan o. the United States Supreme Court.
| This visit, following the incident at the
| judicial reception at the White House
! Thursday night. when Maj. Charles Nc
Cawley, the social aid of the President,
| gave precedence in greeting the President
| to the diplomatic corps instead of to the
| judiciary, regarded beyond doubt as
| in connection with the much-talked-of af-
| fair. Justice Harlan at the time remon-
| strated with Maj. McCawley, and 1t is
said, declared his purpose of asking an ex-
PLANTATION. The two distinguished jurists
| were the first visitors to see and talk with
| the President. While their conference took
| place in absolute privacy, and none of the
principals would talk, there was not the
| least doubt in the minds of those around
| the White House that the representatives
of the Supreme Court had formally dis
| cussed the matter with the President and
| had explained the attitude of Maj. McCaw-
ley whose handling of the matter was ex-
| ceedingIy objectionable to them. Whatever
| statement was made to the President or
whatever protest. if any. they may have
| entered, their friends claim that custom
| entitle: the court to lead the line at re-
| ception given especially in their honor.
OF the four great receptions by the Presi-
| dent each year the first honor in one is ac-
| corded by all to the diplomats, as the re-
| ception is in their honor. but when the re-
| ception is particularly in honor of the Su-
| preme Court, as that one was the members
of the court are entitled to precede all the
| others in the line. The contention of Maj.
| McCawley, who is blamed for the trouble,
| is that the diplomats are guests of the ma
| tion on the occasion of a reception of that
kind, and that they entitled to the
courtesies always shown guests.
The two eminent jurists would not discuss
the object of their visit, Justice Harlan re-
marking that he always fought shy of
newspapers. Just outside the White House
offices they stood in consultation a few
minutes, seriously discussing some matter.
Justice Harlan got in a herdic and was
driven away, while Chief Justice Fuller
went toward the State Department, which
is said to have issued request to diplo-
mats that they appear at the reception IN
full uniforms. 1t is supposed that Mr..
Fuller discussed the subject with officials
there. The embarrassing nature of the
whole affair makes it an exceedingly dell
cate question for discussion
The President knew nothing about the In
cident at the time, but has received a full
statement since from Maj. McCawley and
from others. Chief Justice Fuller and AS
socate Justice Harlan no doubt enlarged
the information the President had.
Discussing the Panama Situation.
Senator Fairbanks of Indiana whose
standing at the White House is of the best,
discussed the Panama canal situation and
the treaty pending in the Senate with
the President. They went over the situa-
ton pretty fully. Senator Fairbanks agrees
with the President and the administration
that the proposed amendments to the treaty
are unnecessary and will delay the time for
the beginning of work on the canal, and
the closing up of the long standing ques-
ton. Senator Fairbanks is hopeful that
the treaty will finally be ratified without
the amendments so that the subject may
be closed up without loss of time. Senator
Aldrich was also in conference with the
President.
The Peabody Trustees.
The board of trustees of the Peabody
trust will meet in this city next week.
President Roosevelt is ex-officio a member
of the board, but will not be able to attend
the sessions He was called upon today by
Representative Griggs of Georgia and j. L.
Moseley of Nashville, Tenn. Both are
alumni of the Peabody Normal School at
Nashville and they desired to talk with
the President about some of the various
plans that are under discussion by those
interested in the Peabody fund for the dis
position of the income from the trust. This
income is about $4,000 a year and the Pea
body Normal School has been beneficiary
each year to the extent of $4,000. prop
ostion is on foot to divide the income more
extensively among the states and cut down
the income of the Peabody school. Another
proposition is to largely increase the in
come. so that the school may be enlarged
and made into a giant monument of Mr..
Peabody. There are many propositions and
what to do with them will be taken up by
the board next week. The alumni of the
school are all seeking TO enlarge the scope
of the school and to insist that the institu-
ton be made larger and more important.
Will Go Out February 1.
Secretary Root Spent some time with the
President this morning. He is getting tho
work of his department in condition to turn
over to Judge Taft, who'is expected to ar
rive in San Francisco today. The transfer
of the department to Judge TAFT Will take
The President had talks with a number of
prominent republicans today, among them
being Speaker Cannon and Representative
Grosvenor of Ohio.
Pardon Cases.
The President has denied nine applica-
tions for pardon. and has exercised Glenn
ency in five cases, as follo~s:
He has commuted to term of imprison-
ment to expire Immediately the sentence or
John Bolan, who was convicted in Arizona
| of engaging in a pugilistic encounter and
| sentenced to imprisonment for one year in
| the territorial prison, the minimum penalty
| prescribed by the statute. The facts are
| that the pugilstic encounter was not
| regular prize fight, but was an exhibition
| sparring match, and in the opinion of the
President the minimum penalty is excessive
| punishment in this case. The prisoner has
| already served six months in the peniten-
| tiary.
He has pardoned to restore the civil
rights of Jacob ]. Drum and Frank SiD-
| dowski deserters from the army, and
IT, 1n