The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-02
IA GOOD BERTH FOR MIR. TAFT If He Should Lose Nonli-
 nation. A SEAT ON SUPREME BENCH War Secretary Next to Cleveland
 in Weight. Many prominent Men fin Public are Heavy Weights But to Mir. Taft,
 Is Conceded the Biue
 Ribbon.
BY ALFRED ,. sToFER.

AoAh1hdtioh TUT tue Fre6luency next
 year. he will be the heaviest man in
 weight ever put up by any party for
 the highest office within the gift oi the American people. Although not quite as tall the Secretary weighs | more than did the Hon. Grover Cleve-
 land at any time that he was 6 can-
 didate. Judge Taft is considerabl above the 26o pound notch--just how heavy he is he is shy about comuni- eating even to his friends. Flesh has been piling up on him rapidly during the past two years. and 1t Is Q diffi-
 cult matter to keep 1t down The sec-
 retary took to horseback riding. An 1 uncommonly large nag" IS required to tote" him around. Every now and
 then the Secretary of War goes riding with the President, but the head of
 the nation Is such rough rider" that
 the Ohio gentleman shakes like a biz
 bowl of jelly when out with him, and apparently prefers to have his horse.
 back rides alone. or with a less stren-
 uous parsonage than Colonel Roosevelt. While Governor Hoke Smith was Sec retary of the Interior in the Cabinet
 of the second Cleveland administration
 the distinguished Georgian tried to re-
 dues his weight by daily rides on a
 fiery steed brought from the South i.
 Secretary Smith used to ride to and
 from his office, and after the day's
 work was over would get the country
 air. Governor Smith in rotundity
 ranks high up in the Taft class. The Georgian is more graceful equestrian
 than Judge Taft.
 Speaking of heavy weights in pub-
 lie life. the late Judge David Davis. of Illinois, was perhaps the bulkiest man
 who ever served in either branch of Congress. That illustrious citizen of
 the republic tipped the scales at al.
 most 400 pounds. As 1t well known he was a Justice of the Supreme Court at the time of his election V the United chamber was largo enonRh for hfyT to squeeze into. and 1t was necessary for the Sergeant-at-Arms to have one specially made to accommodate Judge Davis. In 1881 President Arthur call- ed an extra session of the Senate. Thomas F. Bayard was elected Pres- ident pro tempore and took the chair. That was the year in which Conkling and Platt had the break with Presi. dent Garfield and in a ft of rage re- signed their seats. Warner Miller and Lapham were elected as their success sors. The latter were not sworn until after the organization was effected, But as soon as they were sworn in the Republicans had a majority and they proceeded to oust Mir. Bayard and put Judge Davis in the chair. The II. linoisian was elected to the Senate by Democrats and Independents The Senate was so close that the only way the Republicans here could control the committees was by honoring Davis in making him the presiding officer
 A Funny SGuib.
 When Jndge Davis was married the second time the inimitable Eugene Field, of The Chicago News, was con- stantly poking fun at him on account or his ponderous weight One of his funny squibs recited that the Judge pitched a night shirt in the middle of the door of his bed chamber and said to his wife: "My dear. will you be kind enough to sew a button on that shirt for me?"
 David Davis" exclaimed his better half. straightening herself to her full height. "as your lawful and loving wife I'll be only too Happy to sew a button on shirt, but positively de- cline to tackle that circus tent you have thrown on the floor"
 The@ late Speaker Thomas B. Reed of Maine was a 300-pounder. and al- ways enjoyed hugely meeting any well known man heavier than he. One night as a number of notable guests were gathering for a dinner the late A. Turk. Passenger Traffic of the Southern Railway, was presented to the presiding officer | of the House as a full grown Vir- | ginian." MT. Turk usually weighed about 36O pounds, and was six feet, four | and a half inches in height; MT. Reed i was even six feet Looking up into | the eyes of the railroad man, the | Speaker said. as he warmly grasped | lis hand: Glad to meet you MT. Turk" | Then turning to the gentleman who | lad made the introduction, the Speaker Iaid: Did you introduce me to this | gentleman with a view of calling at- | ention to my diminutive size?'
 The Supreme Court is a tribunal that las always been remarkable for it's fat members. There seems to be some hing about serving on this bench that ,auses most of the eminent judges o accumulate flesh rapidly after be- coming members of the court. MT. Justice Day of Ohio. is the only one # the present judges who hasn't gain d a pound apparently since he was ppointed. He is not fin robust health nd was not when President Mckinley lrst made him Assistant Secretary of tate in 1897 soon to become Secre- ary of State as successor to the late ohm Sherman Judge Day will doubt 1 ess remain slender to the day of his cath.
 Mir. Justice McKenna on joining the ourt was not carrying much weight. ut he had not been on the bench three lonths before 1t was noticed that he lcked up rapidly in flesh. and is now lmost entitled to be classed among the eavy- we ights like Justices. Harlan. 'rewer, White and Holmes. Justice eckham came here slim in figure com ared with It's present proportions he Chief Justice Is the shortest of tature of any of the Justices. Tn fact e is considerably below the average eight. and is quite fat Justice Moody he newest member of the court, is 'eIl rounded out but can hardly be assed with the heavy-weights.
 Two years or more ago. reports were rculated fer and wide that Secretary aft was to be appointed to the upreme court. When Justice Brown. 2 Nlehferan afCnffiad hfa fnfawklor oF 1