The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-31
Justice Brewers Place May Be
Filled From Kansas.
State Has More at Home Like
Him.
SAPP WRITES
Would Consider Vice Presidency
But Other Job Too Big.
Relation of a Town to Its COun-
cilmen and to State Politics.

Kansans are very much interested in
the dispatches from Washington which
discuss the probability of Kansan be-
ing selected as a successor to the late
Justice Brewer. 1t has been said that
TIE vacant place on the supreme bench
would likely be filled from Judge Brew
er's state. The late Justice was a Kan
sas type and his western strength and
virility went a long ways to balance the
eastern conservatism of the bench. He
was regarded as the peer of any men,
her of the court of last resort.
Kansas las other lawyers of the same
stamp. The Kansas spirit has broad
ened their learning and the Kansas
customs and manners and climate have
tended to eliminate technicalities and
little, narrow preiuGiceS from their
minds. They have deeper understand
ing of men and things than the lawyers
of other states because Of the prafries
and the institutions of the Jayhawker
state.
On the bench of the state supreme
court at this time are several men,
any one of whom would honor his
state and serve his country well If
vested in the robes of a supreme court
Justice. These men have added to their
knowledge of the law as knowledge of
men and things that rake them better
judges than the greatest lawyers of the
world could hope to be. The cases de-
Cided by Solomon and Portia have pre-
cedence over all the cases in all the
supreme court reports of the world.
Chief Justice W. A. Johnston has
served in the Kansas court of last re-
tort for quarter of century and the
Il sSing years have ripened his under
standing while his heart kept its youth.
There is rot a Kan6an that could be
convinced that a better qualified JUS
tice sits upon the bench in Washington
than Justice Johnston. Governor Stubs
CO.. foR Gov.
Brewers place. Speaking of Judge
Johnston today in connection with that
place the governor paid a high tribute
to him. "A seat on the bench of the
United States supreme court for Judge
Johnston would round out a splendid
record" said the governor, land 1 hope
that he wins the place" If any judicial
officer in Kansas can be said to be en-
titled to the place Chief Justice john
ston is first to be considered.
Then there are many prominent
men in this state who agree with
Congressman Madison in his choice of
Justice Henry F. Mason for Brewers
place. Judge. Mason is a distinct Kan
sas type both as a man and a lawyer.
When he took his place upon the
bench he did not leave the world be-
hind him nor close the door of his Ii
brary to the noises of the world. His
keen understanding and his energy
have served him well upon the bench
and he stands as high in the eStima-
ton OF the lawyers ana ldyInen OF In1S
state as any justice in this west coun-
try. Like the chief Justice, Judge Ma
son has widened and deepened his I'M
derstanding by keeping in close touch
with affairs outside the courtroom. He
is that much better qualified to sit
in judgment in cases where the frail-
ties of human nature are best under
stood by a judge of human nature.
There are a thousand judges who
know the law; judges who are satur-
ated with it; buried in it's depths, but
few, very few judges make some d.
vision of them time and work between
the law and the heart of the world.
ed to his fame as a judge while it
made his life happier and longer and
more useful to his country.
Kansas feels that she is entitled to
the Brewer place upon the bench, not
alone because Brewer came from KAN
home like him. The state can en-
dorse with pride and enthusiasm eth
er Judge Johnston or Judge Mason for
a place in the highest court in the
land.
Col. Bill Sapp of Galena. the newly
elected Democratic national commit
toned in a New York paper in connec-
ton with the nomination for the presi-
dency, has written to a Topeka friend
in regard to the matter. The letter
is characteristic of the colonel. He is
not sWelled I'D over the honor: not
Colonel Sapp. He said he stopped all
that talk as quickly as possible. He
had a fine time at Hot Springs and
was in close touch with the New York
politicians. He did admit, however,
that the more serious side of the ques-