The Washington herald., 1910-11-11
CRITICISMS ANSWERED
New York Man Sound on Views
of the Constitution.
Root, White, and Harlan Too old to
Be Seriously Considered-The Press
ident Wants a Man Who Can Serve
for Years and Can Bring About
Reforms in Civil Procedure of
the Federal Courts.

Charles z. Hughes is President Taft.s
choice for Chief Justice OF the supreme
court. The President has been inclined
toward Associate Justice Hughes from
the first, and the longer he has consid-
cred the available material the stronger
has become his belief that Mr.. Hughes
is the man for the place. The President
Is still holding the appointment open.
but it is nc longer any doubt that Mr..
Hughes will be named
There has been a disposition in some
quarters TO regard Mr.. Hughes too un-
compromising and also a little too uro-
gressive in his views for Chief Justice.
The former criticism has been voiced by
one or two members Of the Presidents
Cabinet, and the latter comes from bust
ness men who apparently had in mind
Mr. Hughes stand for direct primary
and similar legislation. The President
has carefully considered both Of these
so-cailed objections, but they have not
affected the favor with which he re-
CARDS New York States former governor.
sound on Fundamentals.
The President has satisfied himself that
Mr.. Hughes is sound on Fundamentals
that is. on his views Of the Constitution
and tnat considerable Is placed before
everything else in Mr.. Taft's selection OF
member of the Supreme Bench.
Eiihu Root. Associate Justice Edward
d. White, and Associate Justice Harlan
are the most prominent Of the other chief
justiceship possibilities considered by Mr..
Taft All Of them were seriously under
consideration at one time, but their ages
were against them. Associate Justice
Harlan is now past seventy and eligible
10 retire. Senator Root and Associate
Justice White are eacE sixty-ive years
old
The President has made Up his mind
that he wants a man at the head OF the
bench who can give fifteen or twenty
years OF hard service there.
Mr.. Taft desires somebody who can
devote MS energy 10 bringing about re-
forms in the eivil procedure in the Fed
eral courts. The President has often
spoken Of his desire for such reform. and
has formally recommended that Congress
should appoint commission for studying
the subject
The President has said: Speaking gen
orally, the improvement OF the admins
tration OF justice. civiIly and crIminaIIy.
in the matter OF its prompt dispatch and
the cheapening of It's use for the poor
man, is the most important question be-
fore the American peorle."
Wants Reforms Worked Ont.
II is understood that il is the Presi-
dents hope that the new Chief Justice
wilfdeyote himself to working reforms in
equity procedure.
Former Gov Hughes fts in with Mr..
Taft's plsn- He is only forty-eight years
old, ana has twenty-five years before
him before he has reached the eligible
retirement age.
His capacity for work is well known.
The President viii expect his appointee
TO continue the work of reform even af-
Ter Mr.. Taft himself has retired from Of
fice
There is another consideration that has
caused the President to turn to ASso-
eiate Justice Hughes. Mr. Taft desires
to name man for the Chief Justiceship
whose appointment will be popular He
believes 1t is said, that the appointment
OF MIR. Hughes would strike a popular.
chord and also that it might onset recent
criticisms OF the court.
The President viii not announce any
Of his judicial appointment until he sends
them in 20 the Senate early in Decem-
ber. He Will have only about two weeks
after Ms return from Panama before
Congress reconvenes, and it is believed
that he has his mind pretty well made up
on other judicial possibilities.