The San Francisco call., 1910-02-11
POLITICIANS BAKING
SUPREME COURT PIE
Los Angeles Republicans Hope
TO Grab One or Two Pieces
for Southern Judges
Seek TO involve justices Melvin
and SlOsS in Twin
FrameupS
By GEORGE A. VAN SMITH


rfor court judges of Los Angeles.
The republicans OF the southern city
are apparently squarely divided into
two camps. The long hairs are after
Melvin's scalp. The regulars are out
10 get Sloss Il perchance their schemes
should work out 10 their logical con-
clusion and both Melvin and SlOss We're
defeated for denomination, Los Angeles
republicans would survive their grief.
The counter schemes OF the Los An
geles politicians look like good things
for Los Angeles and the Los Angeles
candidates for the supreme bench. They
are Characteristic TOO. in that they pro
vide for all the risks being assumed by
the justices of the supreme court and
all the expected advantages accruing
10 Los Angeles.
Los Angeles has long been dissatis
fed with its representation on the su-
preme bench. il has but one Of the
seven members Of the court Two are
10 he elected this year The Lincoln
Roosevelt leaguers of Los Angeles have
a scheme by which they hope TO land
Melvins place for Los Angeles. The
regulars have the twin brother Of that
little scheme They propose to get
Sloss' seat for another Los Angeleno-
WILBUR IL CANDIDATE
The Lincoln Roosevelt leaguers nave
picked Superior Judge c. d. Wilbur as
The proper man 10 succeed Justice Mel
vim The word has been passed from
humboldt 10 san Diego that the league
Is TO 20 the route for Sloss and VIII
bar. When the league gets around 10
the matter of a state conference or the
Endorsement of candidates by the exec
utiNe committee its supreme court slate
viii bl ~l0sS and Wilbur.
& d !
The lcaSuers admit that Sloss could not
he beaten if they went after him. They
believe that by throwing all their
strength 10 him he viii run far ahead
OF the field. Wilbur is a capable, pop
uIar and respected member Of the Los
Angeles ban The southern lea guers
believe that his popularity and the
geogra pllical consideration viii enable
him 10 cut deeply into the organiza-
tion vote in the south. which, with the
solid league vote north and south,
would enable him to nose out Melvin
for the second place.
But that is only one Of the schemes.
The Los Angeles regulars have picked
Judge w. ?. James to succeed Justice
SIoss. They purpose TO couple James
with Justice Melvin, and by 2 combina-
tion of geography and organization
beat Sloss TO the second place on the
ticket.
REGULARS FOR JAMES
As far as southern California is con-
cerned. the regulars scheme has gone
as far as that incubated by the
leaguers. The James boosters have
passed the word. Their battlecry is
Melvin and James" For home con-
sumption it viii be James and Mel
vim"
For obvious reasons it may be as
Sumed that neither Justice Melvin nor
Justice Sloss is a party to the schemes
c0ncocted ostensibly in their interest.
It requires no seventh son of sew
enth son TO figure out what Sloss'
friends would do 10 Melvin if Melvin
gave his sanction TO the Melvin and
James" program or what Melvin's
friends would do TO Sloss if he went
into the -'Sloss and Wilbur frame.
Naturally enough, neither Sloss nor
Melvin is talking politics for publica-
ton 1t may be said that they have not
teamed with the Los Angeles candi-
dates or with each other.
Justices Melvin and Sloss are candi-
dates TO succeed themselves. 1t is un-
derstood that they viii begin the prep
aration Of their nominating petitions
shortly after the supreme court has de-
cided whether only the new register or
both the old and new may be used in
the preparation Of those petitions.
Neither is in 4 position to quarrel with
any set Of men that may choose to in
dorse their ambitions. There is, how
ever nothing to indicate that either is
seeking the formal Endorsement OF
either the organizat tion or the Lincoln
Roosevelt league. Apparently they
would be quite content TO seek renom-
instion simply as republicans and as
members Of the supreme court.
CAUGHEY CINCHEs PLACE
The organization whisper of moth
ing doing for John L. McNab for gov
ernor seems TO clear up the situation
so far As Clerk of the Supreme Court
Frank Caughey is concerned. With
McNab out Of the gubernatorial situa-
lion Caughey appears TO have his re-
nomination in a walk No candidate
that could expect serious consideration
has been mentioned for his place He
got it by demonstrating that he was
something of two fisted fighter. He
has made good in the job and he has
the active friendship OF line members
Of the bench, which means something
multiplied by seven.
Caughey could undoubtedly win A
denomination If McNab did get into
the gubernatorisl scrap, but Caughey
is the sort Of chap who would do moth
ing TO crab another's chances. He and
McNab are residents of the same
county y-Mendocino-and il Caughev
thought he could help McNab by get
ting out Of the way he would prob
ably make the sacrifice The only
aspirant for Caughey's place mentioned
is Bob" Fitzgerald, saloon keeper.
who was formerly a deputy county
clerk in Judge Hebbard's court His
sponsor is Abe" Johnson. formerly a
clerk in the court of appeal.
MEINSToCK MAY RUN
Colonel Harris Weinstock is the lat
est gubernatOrial possibility on the
Lincoln Roosevelt league bulletin
board. Weinstock is president of the
local public welfare fund and has
taken a positive and publicly declared
position on all big public questions for
several years. His name was men
toned at the leagues executive COM
mittee meeting on last Monday The
seed sOwn then has evidently taken
root. A dispatch from Sacramento an
nounced last night that there was a
movement on foot to make Weinstock
the leagues candidate for governor.
The local ieaguers We're busy with
his name yesterday and IL is known
that Weinstock would be wholly ac-
ceptsble to some of the northern league
leaders if the southern contingent could
be induced TO see il that way. Colonel
Weinstock said last night that he had
been approached by member of the