The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-12-21
MANY IN SCRAMBLE
FOR COURT PLACES
Taft Faces Formidable List
of Candidates for Judicial
Appointments.

Iresident Taft is confronted with A
formidable list Of candidates for judicial
appointments.
There are seven or eight vacancies on
district benches and one vacancy on
the Eighth circuit. There ere a large
number Of applicants for each position
at the disposal Of the President. but
there IS a veritable scramble for the
circliit court ludgeship.
the Eighth district embraces the
largest territory In the United states.
including Utah. Minnesota, Missouri,
Arkansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas
North Dakota, South Dakota. wyoming
and Oklahoma Of the Judges now on
the Eighth circuit SanbOrn comes from
Minnesota HOOK IS from Kansas Ad-
ans IS from Missouri. and van Devau-
ter IS from Wyoming Judge Van De
vanter's promotion 10 the United states
supreme Court leaves a very desirable
opening, especially in view of the
PreslGentS well known policy Of pro-
noting judges whenever possible o.
else selecting awyers Of whom he has
personal knowledge for judSeships-
Want Representation
States in the Eighth circuit which are
now without representation on the Su-
prenle Court or on the circuit court
bench are demanding recognition I'm the
Presidents Forthcoming appointment,
ana each Of these states has not less
than half q dozen candidates.
Nebraska heads the list Of states in
The number OF candidates for the cir
cult court sudgeship- Judge Munger,
OF the Federal district court is rega rde5
as q DoSsiD -. partially because his
name was under consideration for ap-
pointment 10 the Supreme Court and
partially because Of the Presidents de-
sire 20 promote Judges In addition TO
IN aHrr~r--a~ -H----- H.
Howard n. HOldridge, NJ l. Lsarnsd
~ h Wilson, and Henry CaIkins. of
keaTneys are candidates
Within the past few hours Bepresen-
tstlve Walter / Smith, Of Iowa, has
become > probability as successor 20
Judge van D5vanteT- Judge Smith was
the Only Standpattcr who survived in
the Congressional election He Is pouu-
lar In the House among insurgents and
regulars alike, and Il is not believed
that his nomination would encounter
serious opposition in the Senate Judge
Horace z DemeT, Of the Iowa supreme
COurt, and EIllin MCCIain. OF Iowa.
also are candidates
Norris Urged.
Representative Norris, Of Nebraska, Is
being put forth as a candidate for the
circuit court jUdSeship by a number
Of insurgents IN the House. but as Vet
the President has not talked 10 Norris
on the subject. and he has not asked
the Nebraska Senators about the ad-
visibility OF making The appointment.
il IS regarded as improbable, therefore.
that the President is contemplating
taking one OF the most Vigorous fusur-
gents from the House and giving him
$3.50 place on the Federal bench
President Taft has shown considerable +
iElpatienCe with members OF COnEresS
who have been urging candidates for
judicial places or purely political
grounds The President on LOTe than
one occasion of late has beer emphatic
IN informing members of the Senate and
House that he viii not give the slightest
consideration 10 politics IN making these
appointments. He has declared that he
IS willing 10 listen 20 suggestions about
political eEpedienCy IN making appoint
ments TO the various departments and l
in the various Offices throughout the
country JUdEeshipS, however, he does
not consider subject to the laws OF
patronage