The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-10-10
Highest Tribunal in the Coun.
try Will ReassembIe Tues
day and will Wade Through
Large Docket.
TWO TRUST CASES TO
RECEIVE A DECISION
Standard Oil and Tobacco
Combine Cases Most I'm
portant Up for Decisions
Hughes on the Bench.
(American News service.3

(American News service.)
Washington, Oct. l0.-When the su.
preme court reassembles on Tuesday
next, Il will enter upon one OF the
busiest and most important terms In
recent years. Owing to the illness
and unusual number of deaths among
the members OF that high tribunal
during the last two years. the docket
IL piled high and cases. including
such important ones as the Tobacco
Trust, Standard OIL and Corporation
Tax suits.
A. no successors have been appoint'
ed to the late Chief Justice Fuller or
Associate Justice Moody (who Is ex-
pected to present his resignation with
In q short time) the bench will be
short two OF Its full quota when the
court opens. Accordingly. Associate
Justice John M. Harlan. the senior
member of the court. will have the
distinction Of presiding over this high
tribunal until new chief justice has
been confirmed by the senate.
II is not considered probable that
the important cases will come before
tho tribunal before January. as Presi.
dent Taft Ia exceedingly anxious to
have q full bench to hear these cases
and II is not likely that the vacancies
will be filled before that time.
oslaye Are Expected.
Il 10 probable that the president
may name the new justices before
congress convenes. but they would not
be able TO serve until their appoint
ments had been confirmed by the SEN
ate. Ii view Of the fact that congress
will adjourn very shortly after con.
vening December Sth. for the Christ
mas holidays. II naturally follows that
the court will not have a full bench
until after the first of the year.
When the court adjourned last May
there were 6S6 cases on the docket
which had not been disposed Of. Since
then 106 cases have been filed. with
the court. thereby making the total
number OF cases on the docket today
692. The last October term of the
court was ushered In with 5S7 cases
for the supreme body to act on. The
total this year Ii the largest In the
history Of the court. In this connection
the dockets show that there has been
= steady increase each year for the
last half century.
Because OF the great importance Of
the majority of the cases which find
their way before the supreme court
and because of the various arguments
allowed and the amount Of study on
the part OF the members Of the court
which IL required. II In not considered
likely that more than two thirds Of the
cases now on the docket will have
been disposed Of by the time for the
next adjournment.
The records of the court show that
the average number Of cases actually
disposed of annually. for the last
twenty years IL 437. Less than that
number were cleared from the docket
fer last year.
Although the Tobacco Trust, Stand
ard OIL, railroad and the corporation
tax cases are regarded as the most
important ones now before the SUI
preme bench. there are already mum.
Der Of other cases OF considerable
national significance. One OF the lat
tor IL the original act OF the state OF
Virginia against its next-door neigh
bor-West Virginia-in which several
million dollars are involved as a re-
suit OF the division OF Virginia In its
original state. The suit consists Of
an attempt to compel West Virginia
TO shoulder part Of the debt that ex-
listed in Virginia at the time Of the
division.
Two Psonaas Cases.
There are two peonage cases ap-
pealed by the State of Florida; the
appeal of . number Of railroads In
the western territory in the suit
brought by them agains: the railroad
commission Of Missouri; three GRIM
inal cases brought by the United
States on account OF alleged viola.
tions OF the pure foods and drug act:
the appeal Of the United States from
the United States circuit couit for
castern Missouri In It's suit against
the Western Terminal Association OF
st. Louis, which is known as tho Eads
bridge monopoly case; and the libel
suit of the United States against the
Press Publishing Company OF New
York which grew out Of articles print.
ed In the New York World about The.
odors Roosevelt. who was then presi-
dent. william Nelson Cromwell and
others In connection with the sale Of
tie Panama Canal. The docket con-
teins also corresponding case against
&c Indianapolis News.
The manner In which the docket has
been arranged to date presents forty
1Continued on Paes Two.)