Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-27

night the code was engrosed. Senator No
Comas saw an opportunity and hastily sent
page when he saw the chance to act to
bring in Senator Pritchard, who was In
charge of the code bill and who made the
motion at the opportune time. and the code
was passed. It had already been engross-
ed. Senator McComas has said the Dis
trict owes its code to the advance work OF
Capt. Brian. then foreman of the public
printing office.
His First Political Office.
Mr.. McComas never accepted political Of
flee until he came to the House OF Repre-
sentatives. He had devoted his life to the
law. and declined nominations in his state.
Hagerstown was near by. and his brother
Frederick F. McComas, a lawyer OF abil-
ity, was his law partner. SO that he kept
up his practice during his service in the
House OF Representatives. When that serv-
Ice ended President Harrison rendered
MIN the place OF associate Justice of the
Supreme Court OF the District to succeed
Juqge Martin F. MONTGOMERY who re-
signed.
During nearly seven years Justice Nc
Comas gave all his time to the duties of his
judicial office. When he resigned to go to
the senate. some OF his friends at the court
house examined the record of all the Judges
who had served with him during the same
period. and found that Justice McComas led
all OF his associates in the aff1rmances Of his
of the Court of Appeals down to March,
1899. when he retired from the bench. Up
to that time 1t had happened that none of
his judgments had been reversed by the Su-
preme Court OF the United States. The
bench and bar were his friends, and 1t was
said he was the most popular judge on the
bench. His court was always busy. He
was prompt and decisive; always consid-
crate and the younger members Of the bar
testify he was especially considerate of
them.
His Indorsers.
Senator McComas was Endorsed by moro
than three-fourths Of the members OF the
bar and by the leading members OF the
patent bar for the position on the appellate
bench. A large preponderance Of the busy
lawyers, old and young, wrote strong let
tiers in his behalf. and he has the cordial
friendship of all the Judges of both courts
of the District.
In Maryland the leaders of the republican
party, with few exceptions-the adver-
saries who always spring up in politics
and the mass of the republican party in
the state have unfailing confidence In Sen
ator McComas. His public record. his I'M
sullied name and his personal force have
rallied to him his party.
In the prolonged fight for the election of
Senator Rayner on every ballot throughout
the weeks of that struggle every republican,
without single break, voted for the re-
election of Senator McComas. His last
public service was in the national conven-
ton, and he headed the Maryland delega-
ton.
Those who know Senator McComas are
well aware that his chosen vocation Is
the judicial office.
The Work Congenial.
Senator McComas said to Star report
or today that the most congenial work
of his life he found on the bench. Tho
President had honored him with this ap-
pointment. and his settled purpose Is to
devote the remainder Of his life to the
work of this court.
In addition to the judicial work arising
from community and business life in the
District, he said more large federal qucs-
lions are apt to arise in this than in
any other federal court, and he believed
that his training in the Ho !se of Rep
resentatives his service on the Supreme
Court bench of the District of Columbia
and his service in the Senate upon the
great judiciary committee. the privileges
and elections committee and the commit
tee on patents peculiarly fitted him to do
his best work on the Court of Appeals,
and that nothing again will induce him
to accept political position. He has had
YerSy.
Senator McCormas said this morning 1t
is his purpose to qualify the first OF July.
After that had been done he would wind
up his partnership with the firm of Nc
Comas Gather and Greenbaum and about
visit his daughter. Likely he will go to
Canada for a short time, returning about
September to prepare for the October
term of court.