Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-03-17
TAFT TO co ON THE BENCH
President Selects Him For 1
Supreme Court Justice
MAY BE MADE CHIEF JUSTICE
S or tary Of War, Once Declined III
Appointment But Has Been Per-
suaded by the President.

Appointment But Has Been Per-
suaded by the President
President Roosevelt has decided t.
appoint William H. Taft, Of Ohio,
now Secretary of War, to the next va
cancy in the United States Supr me
Court.
That vacancy is 10 be Gated BY the
voluntary retir. ment of Associate
Jutice Henry p Brown, who was ap.
pointed. in 1899 ~ Paesi lieut. Harrison
from Michigan.
When Chief Justice Fuller retires-
providing it is during the admiu
stration Of Mr.. Roosevelt, Mr.. Taft
will be promoted to this exalted posi-.
ton.
The President has dicussed the en-
tire situation with his Secretary of
War, and the latter has given his as
sent to the program
Who is to succeed Mr.. Taft in the
cabinet is yer to be disclosed al
though there is nothing to indicate
that the President has selected the
man.
This is the second time Mr.. Taft
has been offered place on the su.
preme tench. The first time was in
the winter of 1908, when he was sery-
ing as governor of the Philippine Is
lands. He then declined the prefer,
on the ground that he still had work
to do in the archipelago, and explain.
ed thar, much as he appreciated the
honor the president desired to bestow
upon him, he believed il to be his
duty to the PHILIPPINES TO carry the
great work he had undertaken at the
requess of President Mckinley 70 a
point where he felt confident il could
be taken cup without diff ulty by
another Mr. Taft on that occasion
demonstrated a superlatiye unselii-h.
ness which is one of the predomina.
: ting traits of his character for ii
: had always been his ambition up tC
that time to become a justice OF tht
supreme court Upon his declina ior
Of the ermine three years ago the
President appointed another ONO mai
William r. Day,so Canton, who was
, thea serving as United States circuit
Z judge for the Sixth Judicial district
Judge Day, it Will be recalled. hac
been Secretary Of State under Presi
dent Mckinley, and aiteIward ser
Y d us Pre- 'ident of the American
, commissi II which negotiated til,
treaty of peace with Spain in the lat
/ ter part of 1898.
AlthouI IN Sec etary Taft is now en-
4 aged in the handling and solution O.
other great national problems. ant
was lcath TO relinquish them. he wa
convinced by the president. after ,
great deal of argument, that il conlC
be done without embarrassment tn the
administration. 1t may be said tina
the secretary did not like to let &c
of the Philippines, in whose welfar,
he is so deeply concerned. or of h.
Panama Canal, in prosecuting tN'
work on which he has taken consid
cradle pride. But the president asa
ally knows how to pers uade maj
who approaches au impor ant decision
with reluctance Just as he did witt
Elihu Root when he baked at accepr
ing the State portfolio after the deaf
Vt John Hay.
Many people, no doubt, VIII say
hat Secretary Tai, is making a poiiti
cal sacrifice in &C epting a pia
, the bench. AS is known tie aatr,
over his name has peen mentione,
pr, minently in connection with tn,
e,u'ican nomination for preSiden'
10 1908. and In the opi1ioa of quit,
a number OF politicians b was Ger.
taiu 10 be M importar { factor in th,
r.xt convention.
MIR Taft will be the youngest ju,.
ice Of the supreme COO when n
axes b is seat for be l. now 10 his for.
ninth year, having b.. born Sep
tenn Der Is, 1857. Associst Justic
DAY is nov the younges man on th
bench. and he will be fifty seven year,
lexf month.