The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1910-10-22
NAMING THE CHIEF JUSTICE.

The belief that President Taft had
liked definitely upon former Governor
Hughes, of New York, TO be chief
justice of the supreme court, which
aas been generally prevalent since
he appointment Of Mr.. Hughes to
seat On the court was announced, may
yet be disappointed. Recently it has
cen reported that the president was
considering the appointment of Sen
ator Root, of New York to the chief
Justice seat upon the bench, and it
is now said that he is still consid-
ering that and also that he is turn
ing his mind seriously to thought of
Justice White for the place. Justice
White is one of the democratic mem
bers OF the court He was appointed
from Louisiana by President Cleve-
land, while serving as a senator from
his state.
The appointment by republican
president of a democrat to be chief
justice would be a rarely interesting
event, and, on the whole, it is not
likely to come about. Mr.. Taft
might do it if he should follow his
first inclination, but pressure upon
him, since his consideration of the
matter has been made known, will al
most certainly prevent such an ap-
pOintment On the score of fitness
no better selection could be made.
Justice White is probably the ablest
jurist on the supreme court today.
His opinions are held in the most
profound respect by the bar of the
The wisdom of appointing a
chief justice from among the mem
bers of the supreme court. however
is questioned by many high autHSri- |
ties. No such appointment has ever |
teen made, and it is held by some |
that none should lie, it being desir? |
able that the members of that court |
should feel that they Dave attained
the summit of ambition and should
Not have before them any possibility
81 advancement to disturb their con
temptation of the great questions
brought before them. An associate
lNotANN' uNNCiN Wing W u-l6 view,
not have before his mind the idea
that he might some day become the
head of the court, lest he be moved |
ny such thought out of course that
of supreme attainment |
might set. There is much to be said |
in support of this view. In the case
Of Justice Hughes the objection could |
not be urged, since the vacancy in |
the chief justiceship occurred and |
consideration of him for the place was
made before he had taken his seat
upon the bench.
Senator Root is one of the atles
men of his generation. He is a pro-
found lawyer and has the intellectual
equipment for the making of a great
jurist There is objection to him
on the score of his age. At 65 he
would live, in the natural course of
events, but short service as the pre-
siding justice OF tie court. TGat
might hot, OF course, be an insuper-
able objection. FL. Despite his great
a ility, Senator Root would not be a
fortunate selection Tor the cf.4 Il
justiceship. He has been too closely
associated with activities, both legal
and political of special rather than
of general interest. to be wholly com
mendable to public confidence and re-
card, attributes of the highest i'm
portance 10 the head of the nation
high court.
On the whole, Mr.. Taft could
scarcely make a letter choice of a
successor to tie late Chief Justice
Fuller than he was disposed to make
at first, and it is altogether likely
that he will come back, in the end.
however wide his consideration may
be, TO Justice Hughes. and the for
mer governor is most probably 10 be
the next cdief justice.