Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-12
May End the Case of Judge
WiCkerSham.
LONG AND BITTERLY FOUGHT
Two Investigations Have Reported LII
His Favor.
STEWART WILL NOT ACCEPT
His Business Engagements Will Not
Permit Acceptance of General Land
Office Commissioner.

Office Commissioner.
President Roosevelt has almost decided to
end the fight on behalf of James Wicker
sham judge of the third federal division in
Alaska, by deciding against him, and the
opponents of the judge have apparently
won out. after contest which for long
duration aud extreme bitterness has seldom
been eaiualrd in the history Of the Senate.
Judge Wickersham has received no less
than eight nominations and recess appoint
ments. one of them having been given by
President Mckinley. and seven by Presi-
dent Roosevelt. The Senate has failed to
vote on the question of confirmation, eX-
cept on the occasion of Wickersham's nom
nation for his first term in 1900.
The President still believes that Wicker
sham is a good judge. but the adv stability
of continuing TO send his nomination to the
Senate is a serious question with him. After
the Senate adjourned last June without
lion the Wickersham nomination, the
President declared that he would continue
10 send this nomination in as long as his
term as President lasted. unless the Senate
should actually vote against confirmation.
The case had attracted wide attent- on,
another recess appointment. \ few days
later Senator McCumber of North Dakota.
who. with Seuator HanSorough and Senator
Nelson. Were almost the only opponents of
confirmation in the Senate. and who had led
Il protracted fight las: summer to prevent
a vote on the nomination. persuaded the
President TO have new investigation made
of charges against the judge. An extraordi-
nary investigation had already been made
by w \. Day when he was assistant to the
Attorney General in 1904. Mr. Day spending
several months in Alaska for the purpose,
and the report was unqualifediy in favor
OF Judge NiCkersham 5 retention on the
Alaska bench. Last July, however, in re-
Spouse t. the urgent request of Senator
McCumber the President detailed Henry
Is. Hoyt. district attorney at Nome to go
over into Judge Underestimate district and
make new investigation. Mr. Hoyts
port. which has recently been received. fail
ed To sustain any of the serious charges
against the judge. but the upshot of his
findings was that since the community is
di"ided ON the question of the judgeship il
would be better TO have "a clean slate.
The matter is still under consideration.
ana II was said TODAY that Attorney Gen
era Bonaparte had not yet finally passed
on the Hoyt report. Ii is considered ex-
tremely doubtful however. whether Judge
Wickersham will receive another appoint
ment, although the President is not fully
satisfied that the Alaska judge is being
fairly treated.
MI. Stewart Will Not Accept.
Philip II. Stewart of Colorado has notified
the Presiden; that his business engage
ments are such that he will not accept the
position OF commissioner of the general
land office The President is anxious to
secure man of certain qualities for this
office and has offered the place to two of
his personal friends. Both have had to
decline Who will get the place now is
not known.
No Big Ship Yet Decided On.
Representative Foss of Illinois. chairman
of the House naval affairs committee, WIS.,
Tied the President Today with friend. Mr..
Foss said 10 a representative of \ O Star
that the sta tement that his committee
would probably report the naval appropr-
atoms bill about February l was correct.
but that ii is not correct that the commit
tee has agreed upon mammoth battle
ship, To he the largest and most powerful
In the world. The matter of the great
battleshlp. n said has not been deter
mined. and il is not yet known how the
question will be voted on
representative Madden of Illinois had a
talk with the President today about the
provisions or his bill for reciprocal demur-
rage on railroads as cure for the short
age OF freight cars. He explained the pro-
visions OF the measure to The President,
who desired to know about it.
hesardlng his fight for cheaper gas and
better street car accommodations in the
District Mr.. Madden said he did nor vet
Know what would be done. although WASH
inston sentiment seemed to be overwhelm-
lngy favorable to his propositions
Representative Mckinney of Illinois who
went To Panama with the recent congress
SlonaI committee, gave the President the
benefit of some of his observations talking
with the chief executive some time.
Gatun Dam All Right.
Members of the Senate committee on
canals. which has Jurisdiction
over the work al Panama. are not at all
alarmed over the sensational stories about
the instability of the Gatun dam The
foundations OF the dam will be all right"
saiu senator hopkins, member of the
CON hittee who had talk this morning
with PRESIDENT Roosevelt. I'VE went ali
over that ground many months ago and
nad the most exhaustive tests made To
determine the condition of the material
upon which the dam is to stand Before
deciding upon the lock canal We made
certain mat all the conditions were favor
able from an engineering point of view.
and that OF the foundation of the Gatun
dam was one of them"
Uniform Divorce Laws.
The President today received a conv of
the proposed uniform divorce law adonted
At the adjourned meeting of the divorce
congress held in November last In PhiIadel-
phia. together with a copy of the address
prepared by the congress for submission 70
the President and the Congress of the
nited States. The committee making the
presentat ton Ia the President were Judge
William II. Etaake OF Philadelphia. Vice
Chancellor John r. Emery of New Jersey
I. laRue Munson CT Williamsport Walter
George Smith OF Philadelphia and F. l.. Sid
dons of the District of Columbia All of the
visitors were officers of the divorce con-
gress and represented the committee on
resolutions.
The President. who is known to he in
friendly accord with all efforts to lessen the
divorce evil and to limit the causes for di-
vorce. had long talk with the committee
Invited to Virginia.
The Association for the Preservation of
Virginia Antiquities extended the President
an invitation today to attend the eelebra-
ton OF the nations birth. May Il. this
being the anniversary OF the actual landing
for permanent home purposes of the first
English settlers. The invitation was pre-
sented by Senator Daniel, Representative
Jones. Thomas Nelson Page. r. l.. Lancas-
ter and w X. Meredith. The President said
mat he could not accept the invitation,
owing 10 other engagements. He was going
20 open the jamestown exposition April 70,
ne said. and was going 10 make another
visit to the exposition June 10. Georgia day
To