Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-03
POSSIBLE THAT SENATE WILL
WITHHOLD CONFIRMATION TO
SUPREME BENCH.
RAILROAD AFFILIATIONS
ARE BEING INVESTIGATED
Charge That Lurton Formerly Rode on
Private Car Provided by Companies
Under Probe-Aee Also an Objection
insurgents Must Get Noisy-other
Political Gossip
Especial Correspondence.1

Washington, Dec 3.-The senate
committee on judiciary is not a unit
in favor Of confirming the nomination
of Judge Horace H. Lurton to be SUI
preme. judge of the United States.
President Taft has been explaining
his attitude to members Of the COM
mittee, and 1t is not known that any
of them have committed themselves, in
their talks with him, in opposition to
Judge Lurton. Nevertheless it is known
that some members of the committee
are not pleased with the selection, and
that certain objections which have
been urged against Judge Lurton arc
being investigated with view to their
presentation as reason for rejecting the
nomination.
AT least two members of the commit
tee are named, in the current gossip
ABOUT this nomination, who are quoted
as being far from pleased with the
presidents selection. Whether there
Will be fight against confirmation Is
still uncertain; but there has been
positive statement in one quarter, that
iii certain objections prove as serious
as they have been represented, the
nomination will not be confirmed
Is He a Corporation Man?
The two senators who are named in
this connection are both republicans.
recent editorial in Memphis news
paper contained allegation that Judge
Lurton. previous to the passage of the
Hepburn act, was in the habit of do
in oriu
vided for him by the railroads in his
district This editorial was brought to
the attention of some of the members
of the committee, and has caused de-
sire for more informatio as to the
charges While it is recognized that
prior to the passage of the Hepburn
act, there was nothing in the laws in
terfering with this indulgence by fed
eral judges, and while it is conceded
that since the passage OF that act Judge
Lurton has been punctilious in observ-
ing 1T. yet there is frank expression Of
the opinion that the use of private
cars by judges at least raises a ques-
ton of propriety worth inquiring into.
Age Also An Argument.
Senator Nelson of Minnesota, is a
m ember of the judiciary committee,
who had his choice and recommended
ton for federal judgeship rejected, in
the case of Minnesota vacancy, on
| the ground that his candidate was too
old AS the Nelson candidate, Judge
Hale was not so old as Judge Lurton
is, and was urged for place of less
importance, it is the subject Of some
wonderment whether Senator Nelson
will be willing to support the conf1rma-
ton of Judge Lurton.
One senator is alleged to have said
that if it were true that Judge Lurton
used private cars provided by the rail-
roads, he would make it his personal
business to have an effective f1ghts or
ganized against the confirmation of the
nomination.
That President Taft is determined
to name Judge Lurton is understood to
be settled. The friends of the Tennes-
see jurst protest that Judge Lurton
has been guilty Of nothing more than
most, or certainly many, Of the fed
eral judges did prior to the pas
sage of the Hepburn act. There was
at that time, it is pointed out, no gen.
eral public opinion in opposition to
I the practice, and 1t violated no law,
therefore it is urged that objection on
this ground Is unfair and unreasonable
Got to Make Noise.
1.-THE insurgents in congress have go
to make a fine large noise, and If they
do, they will get the whole country tt
turn out and help Them" said Repre-
sentative Vic Murdoch, Of Kansas
1.-The country is with them, but it need:
in some sections not mine-to b.
aroused. j guess it will be. The i'm
portance of an alarm makes me thinl
of the story about the two travelling
men who went into a booming Kansas
town and couldn't get into the hotel
But we've got to sleep here" the!
explained. Cant we get the billiard
tablet"
"Two chaps from Kansas City sleep