New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-12
EDWARD D. WHITE
FOR Chief JUSTICE
President Taft Will Name Louis
lana Democrat as FuIIer's
Successor.
OTHER NOMINATIONS TO-DAY
Believed That Judge Van De-
vanter, of Wyoming, and Judge
Lamar, of Georgia, Will
Be Associate Justices.

Washington, Dec. 11.-Edvard Doug.
lass White. of Louisiana, a Democrat.
will be appointed Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States. To
succeed the late Melville W Fuller. II
is the present plan to send to the Sen
ate Tomorrow the nominations to I'll the
Supreme Court vacancies. and the list
will include the name of Associate JUS
tice White for the chief justiceship-
In some quarters here il has been taken
for granted that Associate Justice
Hughes would be made Chief Justice
This was on the theory that President
Taft would select a member of his own
political party for the highest appoint
ment within his gift. 1t appears, how
ever, that Mr. Taft has at no time since
he began a consideration of the Supren1e
Court nomination eliminated the narns
of Associate Justice White from consid-
Grafton in connection with the chief jus
ticeship- For many years President Taft
has regarded Justice White as one OF the
strongest men in judicial life in th1s
country and his decision TO pronose
him to Chief Justice. Notwithstanding
that he belongs to another political
party is another evidence of Mr. Tafts
desire to make judicial selections purely
on the basis OF merit
II was reported tonight thousH
neither confirmation nor denial was oo-
tainabIe at the White House. that Presi-
dent Taft will name associate JUS
tices Judge Willis Van Devanter. on
Cheyenne, wyo.. now a federal Judge IN
the sth United States Circuit, and Joseph
Rucker Lamar, OF Georgia a Democrat
and a former Justice of the Georgia Su-
preme Court.
White Strongly Urged for Promotion.
Justice White was strongly urged on
the President for promotion In OCTOBER
last lust as the President was leaving
| the summer capital at Beverly, II De-
came known that he was seriously con-
sidering the appointment OF Justice
| White as Chief Justice The fact was
| sent ont in dispatches at the time
| When he was again in Washington.
/ however. the Hughes sentiment seemed
10 grow strong again, and sll other
candidates practically were elinl1rafed
from consideration
I final Cabinet conference OH the judi
1 CIal appointments Ndo HctO ae tA~ 'ss'-H-
House late to-day 1t was attended by the
lawyer members. Secretaries Knox DICK
,nsou and NaseI, and Attorney General
Wickersham- 1t is said TO nave oeeh
MFR knox's influence which finally turned
the tide in favor of Judge Van Devanter
g against Judge William g. Hook, also
OF the Eighth Circuit
Ranorts that President Taft would be
swaved by factional considerations IN MS
own partv in making the Supreme Court
appointments were quickly ended To-
night when the slate became public MY
Taft has been exceedingly restiye under
these reports. and il was said Io-nisnst
that twice during the last week ne WaS
on the verge of giving out statements IN
refutatIou of some of the more radical
reports that have appeared in print
Consulted Fifty Senator's
In his consideration of the entire SUB
iect of Supreme Court appointments th~
President invited fifty Senators to the
White House. This was because the
recommended candidates represented
twenty-five states All of the Senator'S
responded To the Presidents invitations
with the exception of Senator La Fol-
lette. of wisconsin. one of the insur~
gents The presence of Senator Cum
minis of Iowa: Senator Borah. of Idaho.
and other leaders of the insurgent wing
OF the party at the White House cused a
great deal of comment at the time. The
President. however. felt that he could
not draw either party or fact1onal lines
at an investigation OF the scope that hs
desired his Supreme Court inquiry to be-
III was said that none Of the conferences
with Senators was for the purpose of de-
Gliding on the final slate Through them
the President was seeking information
as to certain men strongly urged
New Court of Commerce.
IT was also reported tonight. likewise
without confirmation. that the new court
of commerce will be named by the Presi-
dent tomorrow and will consist of the
following:
Martin ~ Knapp. of New York. az
present chairman of the Interstate Com
merce Commission
Robert Archibald. at present United
States district judge of the Middle Dis
trict of Pennsylvania
William III. Hunt of Montana. now a
Judge of the Court of Customs Appeals
Arthur &. Denison. OF Michigan. at
present Judge Of the western district of
that state
Julian w Mack of Chicago. now judge
of the Appellate Court of the LIST Illinois
District Mr.. Mack is Democrat
To MI the vacancies on the luterStsts
Commerce Commission i'm place of Chair
man Knapp and ex-senator F. NJ, Cock
reu. of Missouri, who retires on Decem-
her II. il was reported tonight that
President Taft would name B. FL. Meyer.
Of wisconsin. and G. - McChord. OF
Kentucky
In the last two or three days IL be-
came known here that change in the
head of the Supreme Court slate might
he made. Some of the Presidents clos
est advisers argued with him that Jus
tice Hughes's experience at the bar had
not been sufficient 10 warrant his pro /
motion at this time TO the highest judi
cial position in the country They de- t
clared that MIR. Hughes's reputation as
a lawyer had been gained principally IN