The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-08

WASHINGTON, March s--it Is in
teresting to watch how industriously
Associate Justice Horace II. Lurton
is working To earn his $4,000 salary
The newest member Of the supreme
court of the United States took the
bench on Jan. 3, and he hadn't been
on the job seven weeks before he had
rendered opinions In seven important
caEeE==nne~Afth-e the number at eases
argued in that time, Three Of these
were In the famous cotton Leak
litigation. a complex controversy which
has dragged through the courts for
tNp years ard accumulated additional
absCurity with every move.
Justice Lurton takes his work
seriously. He remains wide awake
during the entire day, listens attenr
lively to arguments made by counsel.
and shows his interest by frequent
questioning. Not al of his colleagues
are as strenuous--two at least spend
@ goodiy part OF the day quietly
snoozing.
The newspaper men who cover
the court hreathed a sigh of relief
when the new Justice cleared his
throat and stated in his maiden
opinion--his enunciation was distinct
and his sentences audible throughout
the court room, That Is rare
quality OF the other justices there
are only three who have really good
Speaking voices---justices Moody.
Day and Holmes. The rest keep the
newspapermen on edge to catch what
they are saying Chief Justice Fuller,
who Is almost eighty years of age.
has a voice absolutely inaudihle If
teen feet from the bench; Justice
Brewer is nearly as difficult to under
stand: Justice Harlan warns MP oHf-
when deciding very important case
or one in which he has felt the
necessity for dissenting on some con-
stitutional question; Justice White has
trick of beginning sentence ioudiS,
but dwindling his voice down to noth-
ing after the first three words Jus
tice McKenna has weak voice
despite his efforts to enunciate clearly,
and even Justice Holmes, who has a
strong enough voice with Boston
acuent) takes delight In verbal in
tricacies that are hard to follow.
Naturally, the members OF the court
are the foremost legal technlctans in
the country. Their opinions are direct
ed toward clearing abstruse legal STU
ations Wherefore 1t happens that the
correspondents who. IL they were legal
sharps, wouldn't he in the newspaper
game. have hard time of II ascer-
tanning just what is meant ny such
and such decision.
1t isn't safe for the reporter to send
out bulletin or flash" regard
ing a decision of the court until the
itE1ce delivering that decision shah
have said the last word---and some
times not even then. 1t Is a favorite
trick for the Justices in delivering
tpinians, TO start With one side, APP
parently fully sustain every point anu
when the newspaperman mas Jusi
about decided to make his bulletin 10
this effect Suddenly to veer 'oH. Win
the words "however." etc, or 'on
the other hand" "still. centrarywise'
and So on, and then follow with what
IL apparently just as fully an af'lrina-
ton Of the opposite view.
The correspondent doesn't dafe
Nleaye the court room until all the
decisions have been rendered, for fear
OF losing an important one. press
association man last year left the
room for just moment. to straighten
out a query from his Office, and IN
that time, Chief Justice Fuller am
noeneed that the eour. had denAen
the petition Of the government foT "a
hearing of the S29 100000 Standard
on case. He didn't get this supreme
~ important news item for nj least
ten mtnutes--and then only because
he happened to hear some lawyers
talking about II,
"0fIicial Ohjcctor" objects.
Representative Mann. OF Illinois,
the Official objcctor" for the repuh-
lican organization, has objected to the,
orders ne received and has thrown
up the lob This is, the most impor-
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