The Washington herald., 1909-01-28
WASHINGTON CHAT.
~ The SPECTATOR

Inc perennial ruIncr mat CtneI justice
Fuller IS about to resign is again 20 the
fore. inspired at this moment by the fact
that the venerable Chief Justice is about
10 celebrate his seventy-sixth birthday.
He is happy In mis- work. competent to
meet al its demands. and ambitious 70
die in harness. The Chief Justice Is one
OF the most imposing and dignihed men
in public life. yet he Is small in stature.
not much over FIVE feet three, and in
striking comparison to Justice Harlan.
who sits on his right hand and is several
inches over six feet. and Justice Brewer,
who sits on his left. He appreciates MS
exalted position. lives I'D to it, and IN
slsts that others shall recognize IL The
controversy he instituted between the Su-
preme Court and the diplomatic corps as
to which body should have precedence Is
an old story. and was finally decided
against the Chief Justice. who maintained
that. as the head Of the second co-or-
dinate branch OF the government. ne was
entitled 70 prece5e every one except the
President and Vice President stand
likewise taken by several Speakers Of the
( House A merry social war was the re-
suit Of these contentious, which were
finally settled by an international, though
I informal. court Of arbitration. composed
OF our Secretaries Of State and the secre-
taries Of the foreign Offices OF the powers
I interested. The President took hand IN
the matter, and Il Is said that King Ed
ward himself cast the deciding vote IN
favor OF the ambassadors having the
+ pass over the Supreme Court.
4 All sorts Of makeshifJs have been re-
sorted 10 by those having charge Of on
cIal functions. to keep both the supreme
Court and the diplomatic corps in a
( good humor. Al the last inauguration
the Chief Justice being the main actor
in the Official programme. and charged
with administering the oath Of Office 70
+ The incoming President. led the procession
into the Senate chamber after whom
came the President. directly followed Dy
+ the ambassador. who were seated op2o-
site the Supreme Court This arrangement
is cited as q clever subterfuCe OF the Ser
eeanf-at-Arms OF the Senate but what
ever Il was, al those concerned we're
satisfied. and one 0ficiai occasion a. least
in which these two bodies took part was
marked by lack OF rancCr and bitterness.
The Chief Justice IS the oldest member
Of the Supreme Court, and with the ex-
Iception or Justice Harlan. the senior IN
I point Of service. having been appointed
by President Cleveland in April ISIS
nearly ten years after Justice Harlan was
commissioned. The Chief Justice. by the
way. IS a Yankee. a native OF Maine 5
capital. and an aIumnae Of both Bowdoin
I College. where he took his academic. and
OF the law department OF Harvard. Like
the majority Of the Young men IN New
England half century ago. he began his
career By teaching school and now and
( then be encounters some Of his former
pupils IL society al the Capital his ju-
dicial career. however. was made in Illi-
nois. where for more than q quarter Of a
century he vas the leading member Of
the Chicago bar. and somewhat Of a fig
ure in politics. although he never aspired
70 Office. and It was through no uacfina-
tons Of his that President Cleveland Sc
lected him for the Supreme bench.
Ia appearance the Chief Justice sug-
gests Mark Twain. having the same re-
fined and classic features and the head q
wonderful white hair which one asso-
ciates with the author OF Tom Sawyer
He is as graceful. too. as Mr.. Clemens
but he lacks the aplomb OF that noted
I Bohemian. and is always dignifed and ju-
dfciSl The attorneys who come from out
or town 20 argue before the Supreme
Court say that the Chief justice Is ar
easy man 70 address. that be shows =
most Aattering attention II the argu.
ments made. and asks questions which
show his alert interest in all matters be
fore the court In q word. he Is as sym
pathetic as II is possible for man in nj
position % be. and enc looks back Wit
some amusement 10 the objections mad'
al the time Cleveland appointed him
some twenty-odd years ago. at the in
stance OF Marshal Field. the Chicagi
p millionaire.
J The Chief Justices left-hand neighbor
Justice harlan, has been thirty-one year
on the bench and looks very little diff
. ferent 10 the casual Iooker-on. than II
did when he first took his seat there. Y;
, bald head Is no more bald his figure
j Just as erect. and he plays golf with a
. much enthusiasm as he did when Nj
Hayes persuaded him 10 give Up his prae
tice in Kentucky and his political am
billions there for 2 seat among n