The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1908-10-23
SKILLED IN THE Law.
Success of Mr.. Taft as Solicitor
General.
WON MANY NOTABLE SUITS

Nt1A0tt0GS huI SStNStGhNd fNidaNGh
Seal Fisheries controversy-liis De.
Tense Of the Mckinley Bill-Refused
Golden Offers For a Seat on ths
Federal Bench.
Mr.. Taft's eight years Of history
making utility upon the bench Of the
Sixth federal circuit, during most OF
which period he was presiding judge,
were prefaced by three. years OF high
accomplishment as soliStor gengal o:
the United States. President Harri,
son picked him to be the legal repre-
sentative of the United States In ac-
tive litigation in 1890. when he was
only thirty-three years old and still had
three years of his elective term upon
the superior court bench In Ohio 10
serve. Solicitor general of the United.
States ut thirty-three! Scarcely more
than a boy In years as ripened matu-
rity Is reckoned and already doing
deeds Of national moment-deedS Of
International moment, TO be exact. fCT
inside of two weeks of taking the
oath he had put up TO him the defense
OF the government In the Alaska sea
fisheries controversy, at which the
courts and the diplomats OF three coun.
tries-the United States, England and
Canada-had been dinging for fourteen
years.
Briefly the sum and substance Of II
was this: We had captured and con
demned to be sold the Canadian
schooner Sayward for Illegal sealing In
Alaska waters. England aud Canada
supported the claim Of the owner for
damages. which we rejected. Pend.
ing arbitration the case was brought
unexpectedly before the supreme court
IL was clever tactics on the other fci-
lows part. and IL put US In rather n
pickle. While Canada would not be
bound by an adverse decision IL the
case Went against her-that is, she
would not lie compelled TO accept tho
decision aS final-should we lose the
fact OF our losing In our own courl
would count against US. -
The new solicitor general sailed In.
lie read the documents. lie ciutchC
and held fast. When he emerged fron
the murk ~ international law, treaties
precedent aud kindred clarifies he had
n 800 page brief ready 10 present to
the court. II won for him and for the
United States against two OF the best
lawyers In the land-Joscph II. Choate
aud Calderon Carlisle, Jr.
Then IL fell 10 him 10 defend the
Mckinley bin In an action brought by
an importing firm who objected e.
paying higher duties imposed by the
btu and pleaded that Speaker Reed
way Of counting n quorum. by which
tnctlcs the bill had passed the houyt
Of representatives. was uncOnstItutIon
al. The importers urged that enough
members present IN the house. nj.
though constituting a numerical quo
rum. could break quorum by no.
voting.
III voting and not present Is neces
sary % make a quorum. why II IN
speaker empowered 90 employ the ser
gcant nc arms Of the house 10 compel
absentees 90 attend with the object ~
making a quorum querIed SIR. So
llcitor General Taft The McKinIer
hlll was saved.
The young solicitor general won
won. won aud kept on winning for the
government FOR the two years he was
In Office. Then President Harrison
vet him upon what Mr.. Taft felt would
10 the track leading 90 his real ami,!
tion-the supreme court bench. lie
named him as circuit judge. Judg"
Taft accepted uuhesitatingly. lie III
II In face 81 the we'll meant advice ~
friends who wanted him TO bc q money
maker. Attractive partnerships wer,
proposed TO him by big law firms. part
nerShips that meant $4,000. SjOO01
and Si0n0DO year. The cgnolumcnfs
u the bench were only Sf.OnD annual
~. Judge Taft shook his head. There
are bigger and better things than mon,
ey." was his reply 60 these gilded sue
gcstInnS. lie was then thlrty.iivc. lie
was a p00r man. hut h. had enough
lie i now ffty-one and n poor man
still by the standard of the dollar.