The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-12-08
Confirmation of Appoint
mentS After 1t Is Seen
Who's on List.
LANE AND PROUTY
ARE NOTEWORTHY
Members Of Interstate Commerce
Commission for Court of
Commerce.
By JUDS0N C. wELLIvER

70 vote on the question OF confirming
the long list OF important judicial ap-
pofntments soon 70 be made By Presi-
dent Taft, there VIII be fnsfstence that
the President shah present his entire
list OF nominations, IN order that Seua-
/ tors may survey the situation
The President is understood 10 wish
| 70 transfer two members Of the Inter
state Commerce Commission, from that
body 10 the Court Of Commerce The
| situation regarding these two men is
: unique The very people who are ques-
I tioning the desirabiIity OF their promo
| ton are their best friends Comris-
| sioners Lane and Prouty are the men
I involved in this unprecedented tauzIe-
They are widely known as the radicals
Of the commission; and the people who
! want them continued on that BODY are
] the radicals in Congress
/ For many weeks the commission has
I been investigating proposed increases Of
! railroad rates. affecting all parts o. the
| country Commissioners Prouty. Lane.
[ and Clements have been the reliance OF
/ shippers who want the commission TO
refuse assent to the increase. The zitua-
, ton as It would stand, II two Of these
men should be transferred % the Court
! OF Commerce, was thus set forth b. a
/ Western Coagressman, who Is much
wrought up over the proposal
Needed on Commission.
/ 1T Is generally supposed that II lane
| and Prouty were taken out OF the com
I mission, the majority Of remaining
members would be strongly in favor
/ Of the railroad contentious Now see
what happens. II they are taken on,
| their Successors cannot well sit in she
( Il
| because they have not been present
/ when most Of the testimony vas taken
/ Therefore the railroads viii win
You point out, however. that the de-
| cisfOn OF the commission viii De- re-
vieWabIe by the Court or Commerce, and
| lane and PrOuty viii be able 10 make
| their opinions felt there VIII they2
I L doubt very much #, after having
| taken active part in the investigation
| Of these cases as commissioners, they
| would esteem Il within the prophecies
/ 90 sit as judges, for the decision Of an
/ arpeaI involving them WITH the Com
I uerce Court losing the services Of the
two men on whom the shipping and
general IS estern interests count, the
chances are that the remainder Of the
court would decide IN favor OF the rail-
roads
Representative Miles Poindexter OF
Washington was one OF the prugreSSiveS
who expressed themselves about the sit
Ua1ion- Ny home i in Spokane he
said and We have been now for over
/ nineteen years trying 10 get d final and
adequate decision on the famous Sp0-
kane rate case II Is coming near 10
/ that decision We know, by their aI-i-
tude in other cases involving these Ques-
/ tons, that Aessrs- Lane and PrOuLy
| take a view Of our case which justifies
| Us n expecting q satisfactory attitude
| on their part That IS the feeling Of
the people rhrouEhOu. the mountain
West, who are concern ed in q number
| OF cases involving the whole rate situa-
! ton IN that section I should certainly
consider II a most unfortunate circum-
stance II at this time these Two com
uiSSiCnerS> were to take themselves out
| Of the consideration Of these cases
SpreckeIs Has a Say.
Rudolph SpreckeIs Of san Francisco,
/ expressed himself in much the same
| terms. He talked with Representative
| Poindexter and some Of the progressive
Senator's during the day about the sit
uation- So did Covernor-eIect Hiram
Johnson OF California The California
men are all close friends OF Commis-
srOner Lane who is also a Californian,
and they admitted that they were placed
| in a strange position Mr- SpTsCkeIs
was firmly Of the opinion that T. would
be a great misfortune II M Lane were
taken from the commission az this time
on the other hand he recognized 1Ir-
Lane peculiar qualifications and also
those Of Mr.. PrOuty, for handling these
same questions as members Of the
that some OF the fFr Western people in
washington would 90 frankly 20
Messrs. Lane and Prouty and ask them
not 20 agree for the present al least
20 accept appointments that would take
them of the Interstate Commission
7 can see no possible reason why q
progressive should object TO NessrS-
ProUty and Lane going to the Com
merce Court said one Western Sena-
tor. because they are the kind OF men
I want TO see on that body I an pre-
pared to be mighty frank and personal
in case men whom cannot approve aI<
named for any Of these places. but
would entirely approve PrOuty and
Lane.
1T seems 10 ne that the only thing
to do is 20 insist that no combinations
shall be made by the Senate until al
these nominations have been sent TO
Us. Then every nomination can be con
sidered with reference not only 10 its
own individual merits. but also TO the
relation It viii have 10 the future
nake-un Of the Interstate Commission
and the Court OF Commerce
Many Are Outspoken.
Other prozressives, after conferences
had been held, inclined TO this view
Some strong language was employee by
members OF both houses OF Congress
concerning the program which many or
them openly declared seemed to be
framed with special reference 10 getting
rid OF the immediate usefulness Of two
men especially needed in behalf OF the
public interest.
Senator La FoIlette's failure TO accept
an invitation 10 the White House To
discuss judicial appointments was fol-
lowed by the development that the
President is considering Neal Brown a
Wisconsin stalwart Of long standing. for
appointment to the supreme bench.
Surprise was expressed among lawyers
when this became known. but II was
learned that Mr. Brown has been given
serious consideration By the Pr. SIdent
and is strongly recommended friends
Of Senator la Follette declared that
the Senator would UC Cuesti0uaEIv ffEhr
to the end to prevent Mr.. Browns con-
hrmatioB, and added that he would not
have TO make the fight alone.
Il was declared by public men from
the Pacific. coast to be practically set
tied that II Conan iSsiOner Lane is pro-
NOTED TO the Court of Commerce. his
place on the Interstate Commission viii
so to William II. Wheeler. attorney
for the Merchants Exchange OF san
Francisco